More Than A Silverware for Arteta and Guardiola as Arsenal, Man City Clash

Kunle Adewale 

The EFL Cup trophy will sport red and white or sky blue ribbons this evening, when either Arsenal or Manchester City will take the famous walk up the Wembley Stadium steps to collect their winners’ medals after a mouth-watering final.

The last time the Gunners conquered this competition, none of their current players had even been born; meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s charges are seeking a first piece of major silverware since the 2022-23 Champions League, in what is remarkably the first-ever EFL Cup final to be contested by the first and second-placed Premier League teams.

April 18, 1993 was the last time that the Gunners hoisted the League Cup trophy aloft, six years after their inaugural success; in contrast, Arsenal’s six final defeats – most recently to their upcoming foes in 2018 – is more than any other side.

Nearly six years on from the 2019-20 FA Cup showpiece – Arteta’s first and only final at Arsenal so far (excluding the perpetually debated Community Shields) – the ex-Man City assistant can now write a new chapter of club history by becoming the first Gunners manager to win his first two major cup finals.

History is firmly on the Spaniard’s side, as he is unbeaten in eight previous Wembley appearances for Arsenal as both a player and manager; more importantly, recent form favours the men in red and white too.

The Gunners are unbeaten in 14 games following Tuesday’s straightforward 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. 

Prior to kickoff in the Champions League last-16 second legs, Man City had quadruple ambitions of their own. 

Lambasted for his tactical selections in the first leg against Real Madrid, Guardiola witnessed an improvement in front of the Etihad faithful, but not enough to prevent a disheartening 2-1 defeat and premature European elimination.

Another tumultuous Citizens campaign could still be salvaged domestically – Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals await next month – but with just one win to show from five games in all tournaments, Guardiola’s possible farewell campaign could be a forgettable one.

Man City have won eight of their nine EFL Cup finals, including the last seven in a row since the 1974 showpiece against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Guardiola could become the first coach to conquer the competition a staggering five times.

Man City are winless in each of their last six games against Arsenal, whose prospective seventh straight match without defeat against the Citizens would be very heavenly indeed.