Man City Stun Arsenal to Claim Fifth League Cup Under Guardiola

Pep Guardiola’s wild run and dance down Wembley’s touchline demonstrated the hunger for success remains and his competitive fire still burns as fiercely as ever.

It came after Nico O’Reilly’s second header in four minutes effectively sealed Manchester City’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final victory against Arsenal, giving Guardiola a record fifth win in the competition.

Guardiola was lost in the moment as he pumped his fists in delight towards City’s jubilant supporters, the significance of the victory underlined by the crushing bearhugs he gave his players and backroom staff after the final whistle.

“I wanted another yellow card and that is why I did it,” joked Guardiola when quizzed about his celebration.

“If I can’t celebrate in the moment against a team like Arsenal, and the way we were playing… my emotions are related to the way we are playing.

“I am not artificially intelligent, I am a human being, and I want to celebrate. It was not showing disrespect to Arsenal or for the other fans, I just celebrated with my people. And when I feel it, I express it.”

Arsenal, by contrast, were desolate as they missed the chance to win a first trophy since the FA Cup in 2020, the result of a timid performance lacking in attacking ambition until it was too late.

Nico O’Reilly has a tattoo of the Manchester area code etched on his arm and the Englishman will be the pride of the city following his man-of-the-match showing in his side’s brilliant Carabao Cup final victory.

Academy product O’Reilly won the game for City with a pair of second-half headers into the goal in front of his club’s ecstatic supporters.

For a boyhood City fan to score twice at Wembley Stadium, this fairytale story has produced an unforgettable moment for the player, manager Pep Guardiola and supporters alike.

O’Reilly was drafted into the City team last season to aid the squad’s injury crisis in defence and has grabbed his opportunity – he now gets his hands on major silverware after delivering a performance that he will never forget.

“Unbelievable feeling,” O’Reilly told Sky Sports. “To win a final, to beat this team … we know how good they are. We need to build on it, it will give us good momentum. Buzzing with today.”

Guardiola said of O’Reilly’s impact: “He has been so surprising so far even for me, the season he has done so far has been extraordinary.”