Arsenal’s quadruple ambitions evaporated at Wembley after a high-profile mistake by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga paved the way for a 2-0 Manchester City victory in the Carabao Cup final.
Mikel Arteta’s controversial decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga over David Raya resulted in a “horror show” performance that ended Arsenal’s Carabao Cup hopes.
The Spanish goalkeeper’s massive error allowed a cross to squirm through his hands, gifting Nico O’Reilly a tap-in for City’s opener.
Despite William Saliba’s dominant display against Erling Haaland, the Gunners struggled to recover from the goalkeeping blunder and lacked clinical finishing.
The defeat marked Arsenal’s fourth consecutive League Cup final loss, effectively ending their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple.
While Declan Rice and Gabriel showed flashes of resilience, the attack remained largely anonymous.
Standard Sport’s Matt Verri noted that Kepa “did not justify Mikel Arteta’s decision,” leaving the North London side to wait for their first piece of major silverware since the 2020 FA Cup victory.