Arsenal face Man City in Carabao Cup final as Arteta eyes first trophy in six years

Arsenal will face Manchester City in this season’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026, as Mikel Arteta looks to end the Gunners’ six-year trophy drought.

The north London side secured their place in the final after beating Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in the semi-final, reaching their first final since August 2020 when they claimed the FA Cup – which remains Arteta’s only major trophy as manager.

Team News and Selection Dilemmas

Arsenal face fitness concerns over captain Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber, who both missed the Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen through injury. According to the Evening Standard, Eberechi Eze was substituted in the second half with a knock but has confirmed he will be available for the final.

Mikel Merino remains sidelined after undergoing surgery on a foot injury and is targeting a return to full training before the campaign ends, ruling him out of the Wembley showpiece.

Arteta faces a significant decision between the posts, with Kepa Arrizabalaga serving as the club’s cup goalkeeper this season. Whether the Spaniard retains his place ahead of David Raya for the final remains to be seen.

Manchester City are recovering key players in time for the final, with Erling Haaland fit despite being withdrawn early in their Champions League exit to Real Madrid. However, Josko Gvardiol will miss out with a broken leg sustained against Chelsea and is not expected back for another month.

Historical Context and Stakes

The final represents a rematch of the 2018 Carabao Cup final, where City ran out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva. However, Arsenal have had the better of recent encounters between the sides.

City reached the final by destroying holders Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate, with Pep Guardiola looking to add to his impressive Carabao Cup record. The Spanish manager has lifted this trophy more than any other coach.

James Trafford will continue as City’s cup goalkeeper after impressive performances in the semi-final, while Marc Guehi will be ineligible for the final after joining City past the competition’s cut-off point.

The 4:30pm GMT kick-off will be broadcast live on both Sky Sports and ITV1, with the first major final of the season potentially delivering a psychological advantage in the Premier League title race. For Arsenal, it represents the chance to end their longest trophy drought since Arteta’s arrival and claim their first silverware since that FA Cup triumph over Chelsea.