LONDON — A second-half double from Nico O’Reilly secured a 2-0 victory for Manchester City over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, marking Pep Guardiola’s 19th trophy with the club.
Following a cautious first half with limited opportunities at Wembley, Manchester City increased their intensity and found the net at the hour mark due to a significant error by Arsenal’s substitute goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kepa managed only to graze Rayan Cherki’s cross with his fingertips, allowing O’Reilly to outmaneuver Martín Zubimendi and score with a straightforward header from close range.
City extended their advantage just four minutes later when Cherki set up Matheus Nunes, whose cross located O’Reilly in a similar position to net again.
This outcome extinguishes Arsenal’s aspirations for an unprecedented quadruple and prolongs their six-year wait for a trophy. Conversely, City will aim for this triumph to motivate them in closing a nine-point gap to the Gunners in the Premier League. — James Olley
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Passive Arsenal’s trophy drought continues
Arsenal has found itself in a peculiar situation: pursuing a Quadruple while simultaneously facing scrutiny regarding their ability to secure any trophies.
The Gunners last lifted silverware in the 2020 FA Cup, but manager Mikel Arteta’s transformative efforts have positioned them on the verge of greatness. After finishing second in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons, the pressing question remains: can they finally clinch a title?
The answer at Wembley, once again, was no. They ultimately suffered the consequences of being overly passive, focusing more on defending against City rather than taking risks to create scoring opportunities.
After an initial burst, Arsenal retreated and struggled to maintain any consistent pressure, with their second-half performance being notably lackluster. Nevertheless, they hold a solid nine-point lead at the top of the table, an enticing Champions League quarterfinal matchup against Sporting Lisbon, and an FA Cup quarter-final against Championship side Southampton.
Their season still has the potential to be remarkable. However, trophies do not typically come without effort; one must actively pursue them. Arsenal’s capacity to do so remains uncertain. — Olley
Man City put Arsenal on notice in Premier League race
During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Guardiola was hesitant to draw any connections between a potential victory over Arsenal in the final and its implications for the title race.
“We could play well in the final and then poorly in the league,” he stated.
This is a valid observation, yet it overlooks the anxiety among Arsenal supporters as they seek their first Premier League title in over two decades. With a nine-point lead, the title is theirs to lose. However, City has a game in hand, and Arsenal must still visit the Etihad in April. A single misstep from Arteta’s squad could shift the dynamics.
No league points were at stake at Wembley, but many Arsenal fans left the stadium apprehensive about the upcoming weeks.
The ongoing question this season has been whether they possess the mentality to succeed when it truly counts. In an era dominated by data and statistics, it is challenging to measure the impact of losing a cup final to City on their confidence.
This will only be revealed on the pitch, beginning with their next league match against Bournemouth at the Emirates on April 11. — Rob Dawson
O’Reilly the face of Man City’s new era
For Bernardo Silva, this marked a fifth Carabao Cup final victory. However, for others, including match-winner O’Reilly, it was their first medal in City colors. Silva remains one of the few players from the treble-winning 2022-23 squad and is likely to depart in the summer, potentially alongside Guardiola.
City’s new roster is already beginning to take shape around him, featuring younger talents like Marc Guéhi, Antoine Semenyo, and Rayan Cherki. O’Reilly, a product of the club’s academy, is another vital component.
He celebrated his 21st birthday the day before the Carabao Cup final and could have another decade ahead in the first team. He started at left-back against Arsenal—a position he could potentially occupy for England at the World Cup—but is expected to eventually secure a role in midfield, the position he frequently played as he progressed through the ranks.
Regardless of where he plays, O’Reilly is set to become one of the prominent figures in City’s new era, one that may not include Guardiola or long-serving players like Silva. Depending on how the next two months unfold, this could be Guardiola’s final trophy at City, while it is likely to be the first of many for O’Reilly. — Dawson
Backup goalkeepers help decide the Carabao Cup
Neither team utilized their first-choice goalkeeper for this match. Guardiola confirmed on Friday that James Trafford would start for City, while Arteta acknowledged he had made his choice but did not publicly announce Kepa’s involvement.
The two goalkeepers experienced vastly different outcomes. Trafford executed a remarkable triple save from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka (twice) in the seventh minute, thwarting Arsenal’s promising start, while Kepa’s error shifted the momentum in City’s favor. The Spaniard could only manage to touch Rayan Cherki’s 60th-minute cross, reducing the ball’s speed as it fell behind him, allowing O’Reilly to head it in.
Kepa’s complicated history with this fixture continues: he famously refused to be substituted during Chelsea’s loss to City in the 2019 final and subsequently missed in the shootout as the Blues fell to Liverpool on penalties three years later.
Kepa started every match in this competition, and the decision to continue was theoretically sound, but David Raya is currently one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and excluding him may be a decision Arteta regrets. Trafford is likely to leave City after joining last summer with expectations of a significant role, only to be overtaken by Gianluigi Donnarumma. His time at City may be brief, but he played a crucial role in achieving something to show for it. — Olley
Haaland still in search of his goal in a final
Earlier in the season, questions arose for Guardiola regarding whether City relied too heavily on their Norwegian striker, Erling Haaland, who was scoring frequently.
Haaland went without a goal at Wembley, yet Guardiola’s team still managed to secure a victory. The striker has appeared to be off his best form for some time, and this trend continued against Arsenal. He has not scored in a final since the 2021 German cup final while playing for Borussia Dortmund.
Ultimately, it was inconsequential. O’Reilly emerged from left-back to net two opportunistic headers within four minutes in the second half, which was sufficient for the win.
O’Reilly earned the man-of-the-match accolade, but Cherki could have easily received it as well. The Frenchman contributed to both goals, actively engaging around Arsenal’s penalty area. In a closely contested match decided by fine margins, he was one of the few players who appeared to have the space to create genuine scoring opportunities.
He is enjoying an impressive debut season at City following his summer transfer from Lyon and has capped it with at least one trophy. There is much more to anticipate from this young player with significant potential. — Dawson
