Arsenal vs Manchester City Updates, Carabao Cup Final 2026: Manchester-born Nico O’Reilly continued his breakthrough season and delivered two crushing blows on Arsenal as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City prevailed 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. After a goal-less first half, in which Arsenal had the best chance to take the lead through Kai Havertz, City turned it up after the interval to end Arsenal’s hopes of ending a six-year long wait for a title.
League leaders Arsenal, who opted to leave their No 1 goalkeeper David Raya on the bench, were made to pay for the selection call as Kepa Arrizabalaga made a critical error in the 60th minute to hand City the lead. O’Reilly made no mistake four minutes later when he rose the highest to head home City’s and his second. Arsenal hit the post and crossbar late on but couldn’t break City’s defence as Guardiola became the first manager to win the League Cup titles five times as the manager.
This is Manchester City’s ninth EFL Cup title.
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Defeat means Arsenal’s dream of a quadruple is now over. They are still in the hunt for their first Premier League title in 22 years, an FA Cup and the Champions League. In the Premier League race too, City are on Arsenal’s tails with the Gunners currently nine points ahead, having played one more game than City.
Arsenal were chasing their first major silverware since the FA Cup title they won in 2020. That 2020 season was manager Mikel Arteta’s debut season at Arsenal. Since then, Arsenal have come perilously close to winning titles, but have fallen short. The Gunners finished second in the Premier League in the last three seasons.
Scroll down for all the updates from the League Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City
Mikel Arteta seeks to end to trophyless run in League Cup final
Arsenal players celebrate after a goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Sunderland in London, England, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shook off the nerves ahead of Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester City, saying his team were determined to win their first silverware in six years.
The north London club have become the nearly men of English football in recent years, finishing second in the Premier League in the last three seasons, and have not won a major trophy since the 2020 FA Cup in Arteta’s debut season.
But that long drought looks set to end with the possibility of a quadruple still alive.
They are nine points above second-placed City in the English top flight, are in the Champions League and the FA Cup quarter-finals and on Sunday at Wembley will start as favourites to secure the season’s first silverware.
