Manchester City face Arsenal in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. Here’s what to expect from the match.
The first piece of silverware of the season is up for grabs on Sunday, when Manchester City take on Arsenal in the League Cup final at Wembley. Both sides have been tested on their way to the final. City were forced to penalties against Leicester in the quarters and won a thrilling contest 5-3 against surprise package Bristol City in the semifinals. Arsenal had to overcome two London rivals in West Ham and Chelsea, showing great spirit against the latter in the semis, when they came from a goal down to win 2-1.
Team news
City will be without Fabian Delph after his red card against Wigan in the FA Cup, but avoided potentially more costly bans for Sergio Aguero and Pep Guardiola, who were involved in confrontations following Delph’s sending off. Guardiola was seen arguing with Steve Cook during the match and the two had to be separated by colleagues at halftime. Aguero was involved in a separate altercation with a Wigan fan after the home crowd rushed the pitch at full time.
City won’t be light on numbers heading into the showpiece, however. David Sliva and Leroy Sane are back in the fold alongside Aguero, Raheem Sterling and a well-rested Kevin De Bruyne. Guardiola will have a selection dilemma in goal. Claudio Bravo has been the starter in the domestic cups so far this season, but could be dropped for the more reliable Ederson in such a big game.
Arsenal will be without the services of Aaron Ramsey, still recovering from a groin strain. It was hoped the Welshman would start, but Arsene Wenger has said Ramsey hasn’t recovered as quickly as hoped. The midfielder could still make an impact off the bench and is currently going through an intensive treatment program to make the squad.
Like Guardiola, Wenger has played his second-choice keeper, David Ospina, in the cups, but Petr Cech confirmed that he expects the Colombian to start on Sunday. The lack of injuries for both side will be a huge plus for neutrals hoping to see the best of both squads on show.
What would victory mean to Arsenal?
This will be Arsenal’s fourth cup final in five years. Having now won a record seven FA Cups, the upcoming date in Wembley provides Wenger with the chance to win a trophy he has never won before. Arsenal last won the League Cup in 1993, and have lost finals in 2007 and 2011 since then.
Despite that success, Wenger is once again under pressure with Arsenal out of the title race and eight points off the Champions League spots. The League Cup, as the FA Cup wins in 2014, 2015 and 2017 did, provides Wenger a chance to win some silverware and perhaps relieve some of the scrutiny he’s under.
Securing European soccer with a League Cup victory might spur Wenger to take inspiration from arch-nemesis Jose Mourinho. Having secured the League Cup last season, the United manager opted to put his team’s focus on the Europa League. Although United finished nine points off the top four, they secured a Champions League berth by winning the Europa League. Arsenal are in very much the same position as United last year and the added personal bonus of securing a first European title might be enough to convince Wenger to take this option.
What would victory mean for Manchester City?
They’re top of the Premier League and look set to progress to the next round in the Champions League after demolishing Basel in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, and yet there are some who still doubt City’s pedigree. Perhaps the assertion that Guardiola’s team are the best England has ever seen is premature, but should they continue their current vein of form, they’ll be in the conversation.
If they wish to be considered among the very, very best, they’ll have to win more than just the Premier League. This would also be Guardiola’s first trophy in England. The defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup took the shine off City’s dominant status so far this season and gave their critics plenty of ammo. Sunday provides a chance to silence those critics and take the first significant step to what could be a record-breaking season.
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What to expect
Arsenal and City both enjoy having possession of the ball and it will be intriguing to see how both coaches prepare for the other’s attempts to hold on to the ball. These two sides usually produce goals when they clash, with neither side having kept a clean sheet against the other since 2015 (a 2-0 Arsenal win at the Etihad).
City won the previous encounter between these two sides 3-1 at home. However, the final promises to be a tighter affair with Arsenal’s recent record at Wembley particularly impressive. Before their 1-0 defeat in the north London derby earlier this month, the Gunners had won nine consecutive games at Wembley, including a 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup last season. On the other hand, Guardiola boasts a very impressive record in major finals, winning six and losing only one.
City are favorites, as they are in every game they play these days, and they’ll take great confidence from their win against Arsenal earlier in the season, but Arsenal have shown an uncanny ability to perform in the cup competitions in the recent past, beating several teams that were superior on paper along the way. Whoever wins, history suggest we’ll see plenty of goals.