Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup final as Nico O'Reilly scored twice at Wembley. Pep Guardiola downplayed title race impact, while Mikel Arteta urged Arsenal to use the loss as motivation.
Manchester City may still be chasing Arsenal in the Premier League standings, but Sunday night’s EFL Carabao Cup final delivered a powerful reminder that Pep Guardiola’s side remains very much alive in the fight. At Wembley, City defeated Arsenal 2-0 to lift the Carabao Cup, with youngster Nico O'Reilly scoring twice in the second half. The win not only secured silverware for Manchester City, but also injected fresh intrigue into the Premier League title race.
For Pep Guardiola, the night marked his record fifth League Cup triumph. Yet even amid celebrations and champagne showers from jubilant players, the City manager was already being asked the inevitable question: could this victory spark a comeback in the title race?
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Wembley win offers psychological boost
City arrived at Wembley under pressure after a difficult stretch. Recent league draws against West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, along with a disappointing Champions League last-16 exit against Real Madrid, had raised questions about the team’s momentum.
Sunday’s victory helped restore belief.
O’Reilly’s brace sealed a comfortable win after halftime, delivering a statement performance against the league leaders and giving City a morale boost as the season heads into its decisive final weeks.
But Guardiola was quick to play down suggestions that the result would dramatically shift the title race.
“I would like to have nine points in front of Arsenal,” Guardiola said.
“I said to the players: 'Today, we are going to see what our level is'. They are the best so far, no doubt about that, so let's prove ourselves and in the second half, I could not believe we could do it against Arsenal.
“But this win will have no impact (on the title race). It is a different competition.”
Title race still in Arsenal’s hands
Despite the Wembley victory, the reality of the Premier League table remains stark. Arsenal hold a nine-point lead over second-placed City.
Guardiola’s side do have a game in hand, and the two teams will meet again at the Etihad Stadium in April — a clash that could prove decisive.
Yet even that may not be enough unless Arsenal drop points elsewhere.
“They will be more controlled when they come to the Etihad. Maybe for that game it will help us, but the Premier League is in their hands,” Guardiola said.
“Is that team going to drop points? We will try to win our games and then see what happens.”
Guardiola senses promise in City’s new generation
While the title chase remains uncertain, Guardiola believes the League Cup victory could signal the beginning of a fresh cycle for a team that has been undergoing a significant rebuild.
City went trophy-less last season — a rarity during Guardiola’s tenure — but the squad has been heavily revamped over the past 18 months.
Since arriving at the club nearly a decade ago, the Spaniard has overseen an extraordinary era of success, with City collecting 19 trophies in all competitions.
Now, he believes the club’s younger core could usher in another dominant period.
“When you start to win and the generation is young you can continue that. I need to know how they behave in certain moments,” Guardiola said.
“I can smell something that can flourish. Winning helps to anticipate the process.
“We are much better than last season but still we are not the team we should be. That requires time. Hopefully by the end of next season we will be.”
Arsenal left to regroup after Wembley setback
For Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta, the defeat was a painful interruption in what has otherwise been a strong campaign.
The Gunners had entered the final as favourites, hoping to end a six-year trophy drought and claim only the second major title of Arteta’s managerial reign.
Instead, questions quickly followed — particularly over the manager’s team selection and tactical approach.
Arteta’s decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of regular goalkeeper David Raya proved costly. Kepa fumbled a cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing O’Reilly to open the scoring for City.
Some critics also pointed to Arsenal’s conservative game plan as a factor in the defeat.
‘Fire in the belly’ for the final push
Despite the disappointment, Arteta insisted the loss would not derail Arsenal’s ambitions.
With the club still competing in the Champions League and FA Cup quarter-finals, the manager believes the defeat could even sharpen his team’s focus for the final stretch of the season.
“We need to have some perspective on it. We are going to use this disappointment and this fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we have ever had together,” Arteta said.
“That's on us and we'll manage that energy in the right way. Now we have to go through that pain and disappointment.
“The good thing is that we have a very recent history with reacting in these moments, and I'm sure that we're going to do it again.”
With the Carabao Cup now secured by City and the Premier League entering its decisive phase, the battle between Guardiola and Arteta may yet produce another dramatic chapter before the season ends.
