Arsenal suffered a defeat to Manchester City during the Carabao Cup final, leading to Mikel Arteta’s first defeat at Wembley.
It proved to be a disciplined and hard-fought performance, with Arsenal showing defensive organisation and flashes of attacking threat against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Here is how the players rated.
Player Ratings
Goalkeeper
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 3
Largely untested in the first half as Arsenal’s defensive structure limited City’s attacking threat. Felt the pressure massively during the second half which led to him conceding twice due to individual brilliance from Nico O’Reilly.
Defence
Ben White – 5
Solid without being spectacular. Maintained his shape well and dealt with City’s wide play effectively. Lost his temperament when Rayan Cherki tested his patience, leading White to be booked.
William Saliba – 7
Composed and assured. Read the game well and dealt with City’s movement with minimal fuss.
Gabriel – 7
Aggressive and dominant in duels. Set the tone defensively and helped keep City quiet in the final third.
Piero Hincapie – 4
Had moments where he was tested by Antoine Semenyo but remained largely disciplined. Did not offer much going forward.
Midfield
Declan Rice – 6
Controlled the midfield well without dominating. Provided balance and broke up play when needed.
Martin Zubimendi – 5
Kept things ticking but did not impose himself heavily on the game.
Kai Havertz – 6
Denied by Trafford after a promising chance. Worked hard but lacked a decisive moment.
Attack
Bukayo Saka – 6
Came closest to scoring, forcing a strong save from Trafford. Looked the most dangerous attacking outlet.
Viktor Gyokores – 5
Worked hard off the ball, though lacked influence in attacking areas.
Leandro Trossard – 3
Struggled to make a real impact and found it difficult to get into the game.
Substitutes
Riccardo Calafiori – 5
Came on after Hincapies disappointing first half performance. Added a nice attacking upside to the left side and managed to strike the post with a curler but generally speaking the team was limited in the second half.
Noni Madueke – 3
Sadly, didn’t offer much at all.
Gabriel Jesus – 3
Fantastic mentality but couldn’t offer anything to Arsenal’s attack.
Gabriel Martinelli – 4
Untimely cameo for Martinelli. Was limited to a mediocre performance having only been substituted on during the 80th minute.
