The first major silverware of the season is up for grabs at Wembley as Arsenal and Manchester City battle it out for the Carabao Cup.
The Gunners have been outstanding in the competition so far and beat Chelsea home and away in the semi-finals. Pep Guardiola’s side did the same against Newcastle United to reach the final.
Everyone expects it to be a tight game on Sunday, and Paul Merson is no different. However, he has backed Arsenal to get over the line.
Early predictions, who will come out on top when Arsenal face Man City at Wembley?
Paul Merson says Arsenal will win the Carabao Cup over Manchester City
Arsenal have an impressive recent record against Manchester City.
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last six games against the Sky Blues. The two sides are still competing for the Premier League title, but all the focus is on the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
Guardiola is a serial winner of the competition, having won the cup four times already. Arsenal, on the other hand, have only won the League Cup twice in their entire history, the last of which was in 1993.
The clash at Wembley on Sunday gives Arteta the perfect chance to end the drought, and Merson believes Arsenal will do it.
He wrote on Sportskeeda: “If I had to pick a team, I would go Arsenal. However, that doesn’t mean it will be easy. We know Manchester City can play, and if they get going, they can hurt any team.
“I believe the quadruple dream is still very much on if the Gunners win this final. The Premier League is done and dusted, they have a good draw in the FA Cup and face Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final.
“I know they could face Barcelona or Atletico in the semi-final, but we all know how difficult they are to beat as a unit. So I’m not giving up hopes!”
Merson’s prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
Call it now, will Mikel Arteta’s record be intact after the Carabao Cup final?
Mikel Arteta owes Arsenal the Carabao Cup after what happened in 2018
Arteta has transformed Arsenal since he became their boss in 2019.
The Spaniard won the FA Cup in his first year at the club and has since turned the Gunners into serious title contenders. They are the favourites to win the Premier League and Champions League this season.
However, before all of that happened, Arteta helped Manchester City beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final back in 2018.
City’s Amazon documentary showed Guardiola tasking his former assistant to come up with a report to help him beat Arsenal. Whatever he wrote in that report worked, as the Gunners lost 3-0.
Arteta did his job then, but he now needs to deliver for Arsenal. What better way to do it than to beat his old employers on Sunday!
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
