CARABAO CUP FINAL 

ARSENAL 0  

MAN CITY  2 (O’Reilly 60, 64)

NO one remembers who wins the League Cup each year, and the memory of this sorry spectacle will quickly fade as the real deal matches come thick and fast in the next month.

Arsenal are still odds on to win the Premier League, are still in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Tottenham lost 3-0 at home this afternoon in a relegation six pointer.

There are many reasons to remaian cheerful and better a stumble in the Carabao Cup that the Champions League or title run-in.

A bounce-back here could be telling for the big trophies.

After the match, Arteta said: “We played 50 games before today? Every time we have a draw or a defeat, we have to prove it, we have to do it again.

“We have a recent history of how this team has responded in these moments.

“Well especially to have some perspective on it. We’re going to use it as fire in the belly. We’ll manage the energy in the right way.

“We’ll go through the pain and disappointment, it’s part of football.”

But in the moment, this was a hugely disappointing return to Wembley for the fans – many who had spent a lot on the game.

Season ticket holders were charged £150 for a seat. And there are more big games coming thick and fast.

It was particularly disappointing, as the Gunners started so well.

They bossed the opening exchanges with Viktor Gyokeres looking a threat against City’s high line.

William Saliba seemed to have Erling Haaland’s number, winning big roars after shielding-off the City hulk.

The plan was straight forward – knock it about among the back line for a while, wait for the City press and knock it long to Kai Havertz and Gyokeres.

The Gunners rained down on the City goal in the first few minutes.

Havertz found himself one on one from six yards, but James Trafford smothered well before leaping back up again to repel two follow up strikes from Bukayo Saka.

The game ebbed and flowed, but City were well on top by the time Nico O’Reilly struck twice in four minutes.

The opener came after a calamitous fumble from Kepa who – like Trafford – had kept his place ahead of the club’s first choice keeper as is the fashion in the league cup.

Rayan Cherki – the best player on the park today by a mile – chipped a basic cross that Kepa grasped at but let through his hands.

It was gobbled up gratefully by O’Reilly, who stooped ahead of Zubimendi to nod in from a few yards out.

O’Reilly scored a second minutes later – again from a basic cross chipped over the face that was not dealt with.

Saka had lost him at the back post and it was a simple goal in the end.

The Gunners did mount a fightback – largely through Riccardo Calafiori who came on for Hincapie.

He had a great chance to pull one back on 73 mins, almost flicking in a Declan Rice free kick – but his header was straight at Trafford.

He then arrowed a fierce shot on 77 minutes that beat Trafford, but grazed the outside of the post.

Jesus injected a bit of urgency after coming on to join Gyokeres in the attack, hitting the crossbar with a header with minutes to go.

But it was too little too late and really City were deserved winners.

Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo where infinitely more dangerous that Saka and Leandro Trossard.

And Cherki is in a different league to Havertz.

But didn’t Pep Guardiola’s half celebrate?

The wild scenes all felt a little over the top for a trophy that none of the big six really care about.

The brutal 3-0 Carabou Cup final defeat at Wembley in 2018 was Guardiola’s first trophy as City manager.

But those days are long gone. And surely Arsenal will have the last laugh come May.

Arsenal: Kepa, Saliba, White (Jesus 81), Hincapie (Calafiori 65), Gabriel, Rice, Zubimendi, Saka, Havertz (Madueke 65) Rice, Trossard (Martinelli 81), Gyokeres
Subs not used: Raya, Mosquera, Jesus, Norgaard, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman

City: Trafford, Ake, Haaland, Cherki, Doku, Rodri, Silva, Nunes, Reilly, Semenyo, Khusanov
Subs: Donnarumma, Reijnders, Stones, Mamoush, Kovacic, Gonzalez, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden