Arsenal’s long wait for silverware could come to an end this weekend when Mikel Arteta’s team play Manchester City at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.
The Gunners haven’t won a trophy since they claimed their 14th FA Cup in 2020, beating Chelsea in an empty stadium. Thus, the North Londoners will be desperate to get their hands on the winners’ medals on Sunday, with this victory having the potential to be a catalyst for further trophies down the line.
Arteta is likely to field as strong an eleven as he possibly can, although there are a few key areas of contention. Kepa Arrizabalaga may start over David Raya in goal, while the Spanish manager has to make a decision on who he opts for up front – Viktor Gyokeres is in positive goal-scoring form, but Kai Havertz is back fit and raring to go.
⏳ The #CarabaoCupFinal 🏆@Arsenal 🆚 @ManCity #EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/XBIoRulhSp
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 5, 2026
The case for Viktor Gyokeres to start against Man City
Arsenal spent £63 million on Gyokeres in the summer, and despite facing intense scrutiny, he has produced at a relatively impressive rate in front of goal this term. After opening the scoring against Everton, the Swede now has 16 goals across all competitions – an acceptable return to say the least.
While he may not offer a lot in build-up, his ability to reliably get on the end of moves inside the box makes him valuable to Arsenal. Havertz is often found wanting inside the six-yard box, while Gyokeres has developed a knack for being in the right place at the right time, as he’s shown with goals against Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Sunderland, Leeds, Atletico Madrid and Everton this term.
Arsenal’s clash with City is likely to be close and decided by fine margins. If Gyokeres can get on the end of even one chance inside the box, he could prove to be the difference maker. He’s more likely to pop up with a decisive close-range effort than Havertz is.
Not to mention, Gyokeres was outstanding against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, and in facets of the game you wouldn’t expect. He ran the channels excellently, his hold-up play was superb and he was creative in and around Leverkusen’s box.
When a player produces this kind of performance days before a final, it would be a brave decision to then drop him for that showdown.
The case for Kai Havertz to start against Man City
If he’d been fit for more of this season, Havertz may well have been the man Arteta called upon for big games. The German offers everything Gyokeres doesn’t, and these attributes are exactly what is needed in a game against opposition of City’s calibre.
Arsenal aren’t able to go long with Gyokeres up front, as the Swede is almost completely ineffective at winning these long balls. Too often, he grapples with the centre-back before losing his balance and ultimately comes out having lost the duel.
With Havertz in the team, Arsenal have this crucial release valve. They’re able to play over the top of the press to their striker and rely on him to win the ball before bringing others into play.
On top of this, Havertz is capable of dropping into midfield and being the extra man in the build-up. If Arsenal want to control the game through possession against City, then the ex-Chelsea man’s presence in the team is essential.
To add to all of this, Gyokeres simply hasn’t looked at the level against the best teams in the world. When starting against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and City, the opposition centre-backs have comfortably dealt with him and he’s failed to get shots off.
The conclusion – start Havertz, bring Gyokeres on
Ultimately, both players are likely to get minutes. Thus, from a tactical standpoint, it makes the most sense to start Havertz and introduce Gyokeres at some point in the second half.
The Germany international’s current fitness level probably doesn’t permit him to play more than around 65 minutes in a game of this intensity. That is the perfect time to bring Gyokeres into the fray.
Arsenal can control the game and keep things tight with Havertz on the pitch, using the extra midfielder to stay compact and to dominate the ball and territory. They can then use Gyokeres’ fresh legs and desire to constantly run in behind City’s defence to try and win the final late on.
This is the obvious ploy for Arteta, but it’s obvious for a reason – he must do it.
