Arsenal’s pursuit of the quadruple continues on Sunday afternoon, as Mikel Arteta’s side take on Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in the Carabao Cup final.
The Gunners swept Bayer Leverkusen aside in midweek, cruising past Kasper Hjulmand’s side to progress into the last eight of the Champions League. Eberechi Eze’s stunning long-range effort opened the scoring in the first half, before Declan Rice sealed the victory with a controlled finish in the second period.
The North Londoners now have an opportunity to get their hands on a piece of silverware, something they haven’t done since 2020, when they face City this weekend. Victory over Pep Guardiola’s side could set the tone for the rest of the season and prove to be the catalyst that leads to a multi-trophy-winning campaign for Arteta and his squad.
City will be without Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol for the final, with the former cup-tied and the latter out injured. These absences should boost Arsenal’s chances of coming out on top, while the Citizens’ poor run of form means the Gunners come into this tie with confidence and momentum.
Arteta has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his team’s credentials in this final, none more so than his team’s recent record against City. The Gunners haven’t lost to their north-west rivals since their infamous 4-1 defeat at the Etihad during the run-in of the 2022/23 season.
| Date | Result | Competition |
| 21/09/2025 | Arsenal 1-1 City | Premier League |
| 02/02/2025 | Arsenal 5-1 City | Premier League |
| 22/09/2024 | City 2-2 Arsenal | Premier League |
| 31/03/2024 | City 0-0 Arsenal | Premier League |
| 08/10/2023 | Arsenal 1-0 City | Premier League |
| 06/08/2023 | City 1-1 Arsenal | Community Shield |
| 26/04/2023 | City 4-1 Arsenal | Premier League |
Arsenal team news vs Man City, Jurrien Timber injury update
Arsenal have few injury concerns to contend with heading into the Carabao Cup final. Although their squad has suffered from persistent niggles in recent months, they appear to be rounding into good health ahead of the run-in.
That said, Jurrien Timber was forced off the pitch against Everton last Sunday after just 38 minutes. The Dutchman is believed to have suffered an ankle problem and subsequently wasn’t involved on Tuesday night against Leverkusen.
Arteta confirmed that Timber’s potential availability will be assessed in the final training session before the Wembley showdown on Saturday. Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon, the Spaniard provided a coy update on the right-back’s fitness situation, as well as on Martin Odegaard, who hasn’t featured since last month’s North London Derby.
“We have another training session tomorrow, so the ones that are in contention hopefully can give us good news,” he said.
“We have another session tomorrow, so let’s see if they can make it.”
Elsewhere, Mikel Merino remains sidelined with a foot injury and isn’t expected to feature again this season as he continues his rehabilitation.
Predicted Arsenal XI vs Man City
Arteta has a number of contentious team selection decisions to make ahead of this game. Perhaps the most controversial decision will be who he opts to start in between the sticks.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has lost all five cup finals he’s been a part of in his career, although Paul Merson believes the former Chelsea man should start over David Raya at Wembley. When asked about this battle between the goalkeepers in his press conference, Arteta gave nothing away.
“We’ll see,” he said. “However, it’s tomorrow when I make the decision.”
The manager also faces a selection headache in both full-back positions. If Timber isn’t passed fit, he has the option of showing faith in Ben White, or he can deploy Cristhian Mosquera at right-back as a more conservative, defensive ploy.
At left-back, Piero Hincapie has done enough to retain his place, although Riccardo Calafiori offers more offensively and may be called upon to provide the Gunners with more value in possession. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will start at the heart of Arsenal’s back four.
Every @Arsenal goal en-route to the #CarabaoCup Final! 🏆#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/XKAp2cx1Eh
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) March 18, 2026
Midfield is arguably the most straightforward area for Arteta in his team selection at the moment. With Odegaard and Merino out, the divisive tactician has little option but to deploy Martin Zubimendi alongside Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze in the middle of the park.
As for his forward line, there are a few question marks. While Bukayo Saka is a shoo-in on the right-hand side, a difficult decision must be made up front. Kai Havertz is fit and could be favoured over Viktor Gyokeres, who has struggled against the better sides this term. Off the left, Leandro Trossard is likely to retain his place.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Manchester City: Kepa; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Havertz, Trossard.
Arsenal vs Man City Prediction
City have looked extremely vulnerable in second halves this season, and this could be where the game is won and lost on Sunday. If Arsenal can weather the early storm from the Citizens, then they should be in a strong position to attack Guardiola’s team as the second half wears on.
Rodri is a shadow of his former self and is generally susceptible to fading physically in the latter stages. The Spaniard’s declining athletic attributes are a huge component of City’s second-half fall-offs, and Arsenal can exploit this.
The Gunners need to start with a highly technical side, and then use their bench to power up physically late on. The likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli can make a major impact off the bench, and this is likely when Arteta’s team will ultimately win the trophy.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
