![\"Guardiola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8100.jpg\")
Guardiola and Arteta react to Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Arsenal in Carabao Cup final \u2013 video<\/p>\n1<\/p>\n
Plenty of pep in Guardiola\u2019s step<\/p>\n
One theory behind Manchester City\u2019s subpar 18 months is that the end is sliding into view on Pep Guardiola\u2019s glorious reign, and the fact that he may be considering life after City is transmitting itself to his players. Sunday\u2019s Carabao Cup win goes some way to refuting that. Not only did he see off the challenge of his former apprentice Mikel Arteta, but it was vintage Guardiola on the touchline. He looked gobsmacked when decisions didn\u2019t go his side\u2019s way, produced a Chuck Norris tribute kick to an advertising hoarding when City took the lead then sprinted down the touchline, fists pumping, when Nico O\u2019Reilly scored his second of a fairytale final for the club\u2019s local lad. If Guardiola\u2019s intense level of care has dropped, he\u2019s disguising it well. Anybody writing off him \u2013 and City\u2019s league title ambitions \u2013 would do well to remember just what level of manager we are dealing with here. Alex Reid<\/p>\n
Guardiola and Arteta react to Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Arsenal in Carabao Cup final \u2013 video<\/p>\n
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Woefully flat Arsenal must show bounce<\/p>\n
Arsenal finally lose a game (that really matters). Throughout a high-flying but still inconsistent season, Arteta has raised his team after setbacks. Dropped points in the Premier League<\/a> have usually been followed up by a run of good results; a drab display in Leverkusen led to Arsenal dominating the second leg in the Champions League last 16. But defeat in a final leaves no recourse to rally in that competition. Victory on Sunday would have delivered the double delight of a first League Cup since 1993 and relieved pressure by putting some silverware in the cabinet. It\u2019s simple to write off this defeat in isolation \u2013 Kepa Arrizabalaga\u2019s error led to Manchester City\u2019s breakthrough and he will be replaced by a superior goalkeeper in David Raya \u2013 but that cannot mask an insipid performance. Arteta has to lift his side and the players must show their mettle after the international break. This is the biggest test yet of Arsenal\u2019s bouncebackability. AR<\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n Smooth Sangar\u00e9 douses Spurs\u2019 fire<\/p>\n In what has been a very disappointing season for Nottingham Forest<\/a>, one of the few positives has been the form of Ibrahim Sangar\u00e9. The C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire midfielder is 28 now and at something like his peak. Despite missing a month while away at the Africa Cup of Nations, he\u2019s already played more games this season than in either of his previous two campaigns in England. His partnership with Elliot Anderson at the back of midfield works very well, Sangar\u00e9 playing the role for Anderson that Anderson does for Declan Rice with England. He sits off, reading the game, filling space, distributing sensibly, providing the platform for his partner to go hunting the ball. Dominic Solanke, dropping into Sangar\u00e9\u2019s space, barely got a look in, and neither did the substitute Xavi Simons. Jonathan Wilson<\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n Mainoo revival needs support at United<\/p>\n Kobbie Mainoo\u2019s resurrection is one of the success stories of Michael Carrick\u2019s 10-game Manchester United<\/a> reign. There was talk of a loan move as Ruben Amorim lost faith in the local lad, a betrayal of club lore that Carrick has corrected, with a new contract in the offing. The interim manager knows a fair bit about being a playmaking, deep-lying midfielder. Before the weekend Mainoo won him an England recall, likely at the expense of Bournemouth\u2019s Alex Scott, who was named in Thomas Tuchel\u2019s squad in November. On Friday night, Scott was much the more impressive performer, United\u2019s midfield and defence discomfited by his gliding perpetual motion. Carrick\u2019s team have a deficit of muscle in that department, hence weekend links with Newcastle\u2019s Bruno Guimar\u00e3es. Striking a deal with a club that so reluctantly and painfully lost Alexander Isak would be difficult but a Casemiro replacement tops United\u2019s priories. Mainoo needs physical power and knowhow alongside him to show his best. John Brewin<\/p>\n 5<\/p>\n The penalty for imaginary cards<\/p>\n There has been a lot of talk recently about double standards and referees biased towards home teams. Fabian H\u00fcrzeler shared his frustrations at another playing field that he feels isn\u2019t level. The Brighton manager was shown a yellow card for waving an imaginary card and questioning why Alexis Mac Allister hadn\u2019t been booked during their win against Liverpool<\/a>, just before the Argentinian had his name taken. \u201cIt\u2019s too harsh,\u201d H\u00fcrzeler said afterwards. \u201cIf I see how others behave, and I behave like this and immediately get a yellow card, it\u2019s nonsense. I said nothing. I was asking why in this case the opponent didn\u2019t get a yellow card for the foul. It was the only questions I made.\u201d It was pointed out to him that the rulebook states the gesture warrants a booking. \u201cBut even then I can say to you other managers in the league they do it as well,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a clear rule but then you have to do it for everyone.\u201d He has a point \u2013 other managers are forever waving imaginary cards on the touchline and aren\u2019t punished. H\u00fcrzeler, however, will now be suspended for two games. Sam Cunningham<\/p>\n Danny Welbeck scores Brighton\u2019s first goal against Liverpool. Photograph: Justin Setterfield\/Getty Images<\/p>\n 6<\/p>\n Garner garners praise after call-up<\/p>\n David Moyes hopes James Garner \u201ccomes back an even better player\u201d from his introduction to the England squad. The 25-year-old\u2019s first call-up on Friday has already had an effect judging by his commanding display against Chelsea<\/a>. Garner has impressed for Everton all season \u2013 much longer in fact, and in a variety of roles \u2013 but anyone questioning Thomas Tuchel\u2019s selection will have found their answer on Saturday as the midfielder underpinned the best home win, amid the best atmosphere, at Hill Dickinson Stadium so far. Garner\u2019s pass for Beto\u2019s opening goal was exquisite but there was also a confidence and intelligence to the performance that elevated the \u00a315m signing from Manchester United above Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez and Mois\u00e9s Caicedo. \u201cHe was on England\u2019s radar before Christmas and didn\u2019t quite make it,\u201d said Moyes. \u201cSo he has had to keep his form up from November to March and he has. If you think about the levels of the players he\u2019s competed against \u2013 Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez, Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest or Declan Rice at Arsenal \u2013 he\u2019s doing a brilliant job.\u201d Andy Hunter<\/p>\n 7<\/p>\n Torres delivers a World Cup reminder<\/p>\n As Pau Torres reached 100 appearances for Aston Villa<\/a>, could his continued prominence in Aston Villa\u2019s push for Champions League qualification through the Europa League and their Premier League placing propel him towards a recall for Spain\u2019s World Cup squad? Torres joined Villa in the summer of 2023 from Villarreal, but the defender has been out of the international picture for the past two years. Back in the side for Villa\u2019s return to winning ways this week, his upturn in form lead may him back into Luis de la Fuente\u2019s squad for his second consecutive World Cup. While De la Fuente has experienced options such as Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand, as well as the element of youth in Dean Huijsen and Pau Cubars\u00ed, Torres does have the leverage of competing in the ultra-competitive Premier League. Peter Lansley<\/p>\n 8<\/p>\n Le F\u00e9e shows Newcastle what they lack<\/p>\n Not for the first time this season, Newcastle started well but the inaccuracy of their passing ultimately betrayed them. After Sunderland<\/a> came from behind to win 2-1 at St James\u2019 Park and complete a league double over their north-east neighbours, Eddie Howe conceded there had been a \u201clack of quality\u201d in a home midfield without the injured Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimar\u00e3es and Lewis Miley. R\u00e9gis Le Bris\u2019s side were even harder hit by injuries and, in Melker Ellborg, fielded their second-choice goalkeeper. But, as they gradually took control of the game and Brian Brobbey shone at centre-forward, their superiority on the ball was highlighted. Few visiting players can pick a killer pass better than Enzo Le F\u00e9e and, appropriately enough, a playmaker newly recovered from injury stepped off the bench to provide the excellent assist for a 90th-minute winner from the outstanding Brobbey. Given he stands only 5ft 7in, Le F\u00e9e is not the type of player Howe\u2019s Newcastle currently tend to sign but his touch and vision highlighted their creative shortcomings. Being fast and physical can only take you so far. Louise Taylor<\/p>\n Enzo Le F\u00e9e shows his joy after his pass led to Brian Brobbey\u2019s goal. Photograph: Craig Cowan\/ProSports\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n 9<\/p>\n Jim\u00e9nez feints draw Burnley dismay<\/p>\n Ra\u00fal Jim\u00e9nez maintained his 100% penalty record in the Premier League (14 goals from 14 attempts) to seal Fulham\u2019s 3-1 win over Burnley<\/a>. Josh Laurent pushed Jim\u00e9nez in the last minute, receiving a red card for his troubles, to give the Mexican striker the opportunity to complete Fulham\u2019s comeback from the spot after goals from Josh King and Harry Wilson. Jim\u00e9nez trotted towards the ball, taking a couple of steps backwards and forwards, then backwards and forwards again, before smashing it into the top corner, much to the dismay of the Burnley players. Feinting a penalty run-up is controversial but legal. According to Law 14 of the FA\u2019s rulebook \u201cfeinting in the run-up is permitted\u201d but not once the run-up has been completed. Jim\u00e9nez\u2019s staggered penalty was an extra special one as it came a week after his father\u2019s death was announced by the Mexican Football Federation. He fell to his knees and raised his hands to the sky in celebration. Xaymaca Awoyungbo<\/p>\n 10<\/p>\n Bees desperate to rediscover their buzz<\/p>\n![\"Spurs](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1925.jpg\")
Spurs coach Saltor confident team will stay up despite Forest rout \u2013 video<\/p>\n