Arsenal’s quadruple dream ended as Mikel Arteta accused of not using his ‘best players’

Manchester City claimed the first piece of domestic silverware as they earned a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

And the Gunners paid the price for not having their ‘best players on the pitch’ according to talkSPORT’s Darren Bent, as Kepa Arrizabalaga endured another Wembley nightmare.

City were on the back foot for the opening exchanges as the Gunners sought to claim an early advantage at Wembley.

James Trafford, who was given the nod ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma in the capital, made a fine triple stop early on to deny Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.

The three saves spurred City into action as they seemed to settle into the game, riding out the early storm impressively to gain a foothold in the final showdown.

The Cityzens continued to frustrate the Gunners as both Saka and Leandro Trossard failed to find a breakthrough through a sea of City bodies in the opening exchanges.

The first half drew to a close with just seven shots taken in the opening 45 minutes.

That marked the fewest in the first half of a League Cup or FA Cup final since Chelsea vs Man City in the 2019 League Cup final (5).

After the interval, however, the game sprang into life as City began to turn the screw.

And on the hour mark, Nico O’Reilly broke the deadlock to head Pep Guardiola’s side in front.

Rayan Cherki’s high cross slipped through Kepa Arrizabalaga’s gloves, the Spaniard starting in place of compatriot David Raya, to present the young England star with an easy finish.

“Kepa has been outside his box. And nearly give a goal away about 10 minutes ago. Now one slip through the clutches and dropped right on the goal line,” Stuart Pearce said live on talkSPORT after the first goal went in.

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Bent added: “We spoke about it before the game in terms of team selection and Kepa. And yes, he’s been very good in this competition, but I think you get to a cup final at Wembley.

“I think you have to have your best players on the pitch, and unfortunately, Raya is Arsenal’s best goalkeeper.

“The last five minutes, he’s looked really shaky, his distribution, the decision to come out and face up Doku and then that one there, where he just got caught underneath it, hasn’t got enough on it, and he’s dropped it into a key area.

“But it’s no more than Manchester City deserve because this last 10-15 minutes, they have been dominating the second half.

Things went from bad to worse for the Gunners when the 21-year-old then scored his and City’s second four minutes later to head Matheus Nunes’ cross past Kepa.

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O’Reilly’s second means the England international is now the third youngest player to score twice in a League Cup final after Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2006 and Ronnie Whelan in 1982 for Liverpool.

And in the aftermath of the goal, talkSPORT’s Alex Crook said: “Pep Guardiola has just been shown a yellow card. He did a Jose Mourinho.

“As soon as that ball hit the back of the net, he was off down the touchline, punching the air in jubilation. He’s in conversation now with the fourth official.

“I’m not sure he’s that bothered about the yellow card, but what an afternoon for Nico O’Reilly with Thomas Tuchel, the England manager, watching from the stands.”

Arsenal pressed to half the deficit, with substitute Riccardo Calafiori twice going close for the north London side.

The Italian tamely headed a Declan Rice free-kick into the hands of Trafford before clipping the post with a well-taken drive that had the City shotstopper clutching at thin air.

Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat means the Gunners have failed to win a piece of silverware since their 2020 FA Cup success.

The Gunners remain in the running for three trophies, with the club top of the Premier League table, and in the quarter-final of both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has now won only four of his 17 meetings with Pep Guardiola, while the result ended a six-game unbeaten run against City.