Ian Wright claims Carabao Cup defeat has ‘turned up’ the pressure on Arsenal in Premier League title race
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 22:00
Mikel Arteta defends ‘fair’ decision to play Kepa Arrizabalaga despite Carabao Cup final blunder
The Spaniard, a summer signing from Chelsea, has played throughout Arsenal’s Carabao Cup run but defeat means they have still not won a major trophy since 2020, while Raya has the most clean sheets in the Premier League.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 21:30
Pundits baffled by Arsenal’s Kepa decision as howler costs Gunners in Carabao Cup final
A mistake from Kepa on the hour mark allowed Nico O’Reilly to sneak in and score the first goal in Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal, with the Spaniard spilling a simple catch from a cross to allow O’Reilly to head into an empty net from a yard out.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 21:15
“It’s really important for the club, not just the young players. Look at the performance of Nathan Ake, James Trafford making an incredible contribution, Max Alleyne playing at Newcastle in the semi-final,” explains Guardiola.
“This competition is one where we need everyone involved. I made one substitution because at 2-0 it’s never over, and I felt the team was there.
“Jeremy kept the ball, Antoine as well, Bernardo and Rodri in that way you cannot replace. The team is underneath and there’s a smell that can flourish – winning helps to anticipate the process a little bit.
“”You never understand how weak the teams are who think something is done and you go to the bottom,” he adds.
“They came here on an incredible run, we could not beat Nottingham Forest at home, West Ham away, we lost 5-1 on aggregate to Real Madrid.
“Few people [backed us] but the players, the old ones and the new ones proved again that they could do something that we haven’t been consistent enough to do against that team, Arsenal.
“Without reaching that level, you have no chance. Today we did, especially without the ball. With the ball, especially in the second half, it was unbelievable. I could not believe it.”
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 21:00
Wright: ‘People will ask questions’
“For them to come out and play this poorly in a game of this magnitude for Arsenal, people will ask questions,” says Ian Wright on Sky.
“But Arsenal’s project is about trying to win that league so this might be the catalyst to make them understand ‘we can do this.
“We won’t be playing with Kepa in goal, we’ll probably have Eze back, we might have Odegaard back’ so it’s a different team that’s going to be out there.
“But the mentality has to be much better than it was today – we can’t play for 15 minutes then clock off because we can’t break them down,” he added.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 20:45
Richards: ‘It’s about what Man City can do moving forward’
Here are the thoughts of Micah Richards at full-time:
“People are talking about a whole new rebuild. It’s not a rebuild, it’s just about tweaking certain situations. When Man City can control a game, they’re perfect. Where they’ve struggled at times is when in midfield they need more energy.
“Jamie [Redknapp] is right about Cherki. Off the ball he won’t give you what others can but on the ball he gives you that bit of impetus to go forward with quality. These players are still young. They have got time to get better. They have fallen short of the standards that we expect of Man City. That’s because Arsenal have been so good. But now, it’s about what Man City can do moving forward,” he added.
Manchester City celebrate victory at Wembley (John Walton/PA). (PA Wire)
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 20:24
Redknapp: ‘This changes the whole complexion of the title race’
Jamie Redknapp clearly agrees with Wright.
“When Liverpool lost here against Newcastle last year, there was 12 points in it. That’s a massive buffer and the other teams didn’t have a game in hand,” he says.
“For Arsenal, the doubts, the negativity, this changes the whole complexion of the title race. I’m not saying it puts Man City completely back in it, but it gives them a massive opportunity when they play in April,” he added.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 20:14
Wright: ‘This team know it’s not over’
“It’s nine points, but Man City have a game in hand and they’ve got to play them, so it can go down to three. All of a sudden, the pressure really turns up,” says Ian Wright when speaking about the implications of this result on the title race.
“Make no mistake, this nine points is a tight nine points.
“Arsenal really need to refocus and get themselves back on track for what they want to do. They need to win games now.
“People talk about how they win games ‘oh it’s set pieces’ – it doesn’t matter, everyone knows that. We’ve got a DNA of winning games resiliently.
“They’ve got to kick into this because this team know it’s not over,” added the former Arsenal striker.
(Ben Whitley/PA Wire)
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 20:10
Nico O’Reilly double sinks Arsenal to give Manchester City Carabao Cup glory
Nico O’Reilly scored twice in five stunning second-half minutes to fire Manchester City to victory in the Carabao Cup final and derail Arsenal’s quadruple bid.
Stand-in Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga gifted City their first when he fumbled Rayan Cherki’s cross on the hour mark, with O’Reilly on hand to head home from close range.
A rampant City then doubled their advantage just four minutes later after O’Reilly converted Matheus Nunes’ cross to send Pep Guardiola dancing along the touchline.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 20:00
“We are still not the team that Arsenal are or what we were in the past. We found a way to win titles,” continues Guardiola.
“I’m not suspicious now after winning the Carabao Cup. Underneath I knew we were close. The teams, you don’t understand why you are there and out of nothing you are at the bottom. The warnings have to be there. But, for the club and this new generation, it’s important.
“It means a lot. It’s always difficult to win trophies.
“Alongside Bayern Munich and maybe Barcelona, to face the best team in Europe, they suffocated us for the first 15 minutes but after that we started to win a few more second balls.
“Antoine was really good in the first half, in the second half Jeremie and we found Rodri and Bernardo in the positions we needed.
“We won an incredible victory. The Carabao Cup is not the Premier League or the Champions League but a win against that team makes it a special title,” he added.
Chris Wilson22 March 2026 19:51