Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 to win League Cup at Wembley

Manchester City capitalised on a costly error by Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to secure a 2-0 victory and lift the League Cup at Wembley on Sunday, with Nico O’Reilly scoring a decisive brace.

The highly anticipated final turned in City’s favour early in the second half when Kepa mishandled a routine cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing the ball to slip through his grasp. O’Reilly reacted quickest, heading home from close range to give Pep Guardiola’s side the lead.

Just four minutes later, City doubled their advantage as Matheus Nunes delivered a pinpoint cross to the far post, where O’Reilly outpaced his marker to nod in his second goal of the match, effectively sealing the contest.

Arsenal, who had started brightly, came closest in the first half through Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, but were repeatedly denied by an inspired James Trafford, who produced a remarkable triple save to keep the scores level.

Mikel Arteta’s decision to start Kepa ahead of first-choice goalkeeper David Raya ultimately proved costly, as the Spaniard’s error shifted momentum decisively in City’s favour.

The defeat marks another disappointing League Cup outing for Kepa, who has endured a troubled history in the competition, including his infamous refusal to be substituted during the 2019 final while at Chelsea and a missed penalty in the 2022 final defeat to Liverpool.

For Arsenal, the loss ends their hopes of securing a first trophy since their 2020 FA Cup triumph, dealing a blow to their ambitions of a historic quadruple this season.

Manchester City, meanwhile, claimed their ninth League Cup title, with Guardiola securing a record fifth triumph in the competition. The victory also provides a timely boost following their recent UEFA Champions League exit and offers momentum as they attempt to close the gap in the Premier League title race.

Despite ongoing speculation about his future, Guardiola’s animated celebration at full-time underlined his continued passion, as City look to build on this success in the closing stages of the season.