Arsenal's defeat at Wembley dashed their ambitions for a historic quadruple this season. The club had been eyeing an unprecedented clean sweep, being in a commanding position in the Premier League, the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and at the same stage of the Champions League. Their remarkable campaign had seen them play 49 matches in all competitions with only three losses, all by one goal, and score 106 goals, with 37% from set-pieces and 63% from open play. They were on a 14-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, but the odds on them achieving the quadruple were 12-1 against, a challenge that ultimately proved too great at the final hurdle.
Manchester City entered the final with recent struggles, having been dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in midweek, a European exit that stung the club. Their defensive options were limited, with Josko Gvardiol sidelined due to a fractured leg and Marc Guehi unavailable because he joined after the competition's cut-off point. This presented a significant challenge against an Arsenal side that had not lost to City in six matches since a 4-1 thrashing in 2023, with the most recent meeting a 1-1 draw at the Emirates in September where Erling Haaland scored for City and Gabriel Martinelli netted a late equalizer for Arsenal.
Pre-final predictions included backing from Alan Shearer, who tipped Arsenal to win. The managerial rivalry added intrigue, as Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola faced each other for the 16th time as adversaries, with Arteta having beaten Guardiola four times in their previous 15 contests.
Arsenal had their own injury concerns ahead of the final, with Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard battling to prove their fitness. The goalkeeper situation saw Kepa Arrizabalaga in line to start; he had played in two League Cup finals before, losing in 2019 and 2022, but was the penalty shoot-out hero in Arsenal's quarter-final win over Crystal Palace.
Bukayo Saka captained Arsenal in the defeat, but his form has been called into question by supporters and pundits. Since the turn of the year, he has scored two goals and played 17 games, missing three matches with a hip injury. England manager Thomas Tuchel has given him the first week of the international window off to rest, and he signed a new five-year deal with Arsenal in February.
Defensively, Gabriel Magalhães has been a key contributor for Arsenal, blocking a shot with his neck, chin, and face against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. He has blocked 38 shots this season, accounting for 29% of Arsenal's total, and the team recorded a 25th clean sheet in their 49th game of the campaign against Leverkusen. Despite these efforts, Magalhães has yet to win a major trophy since joining Arsenal, a drought the club hoped to end in this final.
Declan Rice has been instrumental for Arsenal this season, scoring a goal in their Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. He was Arsenal's player of the year last season and is the bookmakers' favourite to win the Premier League prize this season, ahead of Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Rice ranks second only to Bruno Fernandes for chances created in the Premier League this season, with a total of 58 split between set-pieces and open play.
For Manchester City, Nico O'Reilly emerged as a decisive figure, scoring twice in four minutes to secure the victory. O'Reilly was told by Pep Guardiola to play at left-back in an FA Cup tie against Salford, a position he had never played before, and has since made 36 starts this term, with 74% at left-back. He joined Manchester City at eight years old, made his senior competitive debut in a 2-1 Carabao Cup win against Watford in September 2024, and scored in City's 8-0 win over Salford. O'Reilly finished the 2024-25 season with five goals and two assists, stands 6ft 4in and a little under 13 stone, and has seen his passing accuracy rise to 89.2% this term. He has played twice at left-back for England and made his debut in a 2-0 World Cup qualifier win against Serbia at Wembley, and has a tattoo of the Manchester area dialling code 0161. O'Reilly was part of the Manchester City team that lost to Crystal Palace in last season's FA Cup final, adding context to his rise.
Historically, Manchester City are the second-most successful team of all time in the League Cup, having lifted the trophy eight times, while Arsenal have won it twice, in 1987 and 1993. Arsenal have not lifted major silverware since the 2020 FA Cup, and this final was their first appearance in a major domestic final since that triumph.
In the Premier League, Arsenal hold a nine-point advantage over Manchester City, but other reports indicate their lead at the summit is five points, with second-placed City having a match in hand. Arsenal secured a 4-1 victory over Tottenham in the north London derby, with two goals each from Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, bolstering their position.
Arsenal beat Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate to reach the Carabao Cup final, while Manchester City overcame Newcastle United in the semi-finals. The path to Wembley set the stage for a clash between two of England's top sides, with Arsenal aiming to end their trophy drought and City seeking to add to their legacy.
Pep Guardiola clinched a record fifth Carabao Cup trophy with the win over Arsenal, a personal achievement amid a busy schedule. Arsenal face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on April 19 and have an FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton between the two games against City, highlighting a congested fixture list.
Young talent Max Dowman is a teenage sensation for Arsenal who scored in a cameo against Everton.
Arsenal face a gruelling run-in after the Carabao Cup final, with a congested April featuring Champions League quarter-finals and a relentless title race. This challenging schedule tests their depth and resilience as they compete on multiple fronts.
Key questions remain unanswered, including the specific nature of Josko Gvardiol's fractured leg injury and his expected return date, how many matches Manchester City have in hand and when they will be played, and the specific tactical plans for both teams in the Carabao Cup final.