Manchester City star Nico O'Reilly hopes the Blues can take momentum from the Carabao Cup victory into the Premier League run-in
Nico O'Reilly of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City
Nico O'Reilly celebrates scoring for Manchester City against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final
View Image
Manchester City's Wembley hero Nico O'Reilly felt Arsenal simply couldn't cope with Pep Guardiola's side scintillating second half showing in the Carabao Cup final - and the 21-year-old now wants to chase down the Gunners in the Premier League.
O'Reilly scored twice in five minutes in the second half on Sunday as City won 2-0. And as well as securing the first silverware of the season, the victory could also play a part in the title race.
City trail the Gunners by nine points at the top of the table but have a game in hand and host Mikel Arteta's side at the Etihad next month.
HEREHERE.
Much of the build-up to the final had been dominated by talk of how the showpiece could dictate the final few weeks of the campaign. And O'Reilly feels it can be a statement success for City.
"100 per cent," he said. "It is a blow for them and we need to build on it and get some momentum from this win now.
"As soon as the international break is over we need to kick on and fight hard. We have a game in hand in the Premier League, we have to play them at our place. We are still in the FA Cup, Liverpool is a tough tie and we know that so we need to do everything we can to keep going.
"Who knows (whether it will dent Arsenal's momentum) I don't know how they are feeling. Obviously they will be upset they haven't won a trophy.
He added: "We just need to focus on ourselves, the changing room is happy, everyone is happy with each other and we need to keep going."
O'Reilly felt City's intent at the start of the second half proved the difference at Wembley and while Arsenal threatened in the final stages, by then the game was done.
"I thought they kept going caused us a few problems in the last five minutes, but I thought when we came out in the second half we came out with a lot of energy and threat to their goal," he said.
"Our pressing was on it, on the ball we was on it and it looked like they didn't know what to do to be honest."