Arsenal’s dreams of lifting the Carabao Cup were extinguished at Wembley as Manchester City ruthlessly exploited a disastrous performance from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Despite a balanced start, two headers from City youngster Nico O’Reilly turned the tide, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side to reflect on a 2-0 defeat defined by individual errors and a lack of clinical edge.
The defeat marks a painful chapter for the North London side, who failed to capitalize on early chances and eventually faded as City took control of the final.
Player Ratings & Performance Analysis
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 3/10
The Spaniard had a nightmare outing. He was extremely fortunate to avoid a red card for a desperate foul on Jeremy Doku outside his area. However, his luck ran out when he failed to gather a routine cross, dropping the ball directly to O’Reilly for the opener. A catastrophic display from the keeper chosen over David Raya.
Ben White – 6/10
White was handed the unenviable task of tracking Jeremy Doku without the support of the injured Jurrien Timber. While he fought hard, the lack of natural defensive cover was evident as the game progressed. It was an afternoon that highlighted just how much the Gunners missed their usual defensive balance.
William Saliba – 7/10
The Frenchman was a beacon of composure in a shaky backline. His standout moment came when he tracked Erling Haaland’s clean run on goal, timing his challenge perfectly to deny the Norwegian. He could do little to prevent the headers that ultimately decided the match.
Gabriel – 7/10
After an uncharacteristic early lapse in possession, the Brazilian defender recovered well to put in a crucial tackle on Antoine Semenyo. Despite his personal resilience, he was occasionally caught out by the movement of the City front line as the team’s defensive structure began to fray.
Piero Hincapie – 5/10
A difficult day for the defender, who was booked early for a mistimed lunge on Matheus Nunes. He never seemed to recover his confidence and was found guilty of affording Nunes far too much space to deliver the cross for City’s second goal.
Martin Zubimendi – 6/10
The midfielder was targeted by City’s press, but he still managed to provide the game’s best early opening with a sharp pass to Kai Havertz. As City blocked the passing lanes into the center, his influence waned, leaving the Arsenal engine room struggling for oxygen.
Declan Rice – 6/10
With Zubimendi neutralized, Rice found it difficult to get on the ball in advanced positions. He did provide a momentary spark with a pinpoint cross for Riccardo Calafiori, but it wasn’t enough to drag his side back into a contest dominated by City’s midfield shape.
Kai Havertz – 5/10
The German forward had the chance of the match in the opening stages. After being played through, he attempted to chip James Trafford, but the keeper stood firm. Following that missed opportunity, Havertz became increasingly isolated and struggled to impact play.
Bukayo Saka – 5/10
A disappointing outing for the captain, who was uncharacteristically passive. He lost his marker for the second goal, allowing O’Reilly a free header, and despite drifting centrally to find the ball, he failed to provide the creative spark Arsenal desperately needed.
Viktor Gyokeres – 6/10
The Swede showed plenty of energy early on, constantly testing the City backline with runs in behind. However, the pace of the City defenders eventually told, and he became a peripheral figure as the supply line from midfield was effectively cut off.
Leandro Trossard – 5/10
Trossard endured a quiet afternoon on the left flank. He struggled to find any rhythm or link up effectively with his teammates, often looking isolated against City’s disciplined defensive setup before being replaced.
Substitutes
Riccardo Calafiori (6/10): Provided a brief attacking threat, heading straight at the keeper before seeing a volley whistle just wide of the post.
Noni Madueke (5/10): Brought pace to the wing but lacked the final delivery to change the scoreline.Gabriel Martinelli (4/10): Failed to make any meaningful contribution after coming on late.
Gabriel Jesus (3/10): A poor cameo, highlighted by losing possession multiple times before the final whistle.