Arsenal are going to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, and Pep Guardiola is already looking ahead to the match at Wembley.
Mikel Arteta’s clear objective this season is to win as much silverware as possible.
Arsenal fans will hate to hear it, but the quadruple is on, as the Gunners sit in a good place in the Premier League, Champions League and both cups.
Guardiola’s task is clear: to stop Arteta from winning, something he’ll aim to do at Wembley.
It’s simple, but City already have a problem, as their manager is already showing signs of weakness.
Early predictions, who will come out on top when Arsenal face Man City at Wembley?
Pep Guardiola’s Carabao Cup final Marc Guehi plea is laughable for Arsenal
Guardiola has already made one squad decision for the Carabao Cup final, as James Trafford will start in goal.
It’s not the only instalment of team news that Guardiola has shared over a month before the final.
After City’s win over Newcastle, the Spaniard unleashed a rant about whether his January signing, Marc Guehi, should play.
“Hopefully, in March, we can arrive with the players fit, and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final,” Guardiola said to Sky Sports.
He added, “It’s difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us, and I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.”
Guardiola’s desperation is justifiable, as Guehi is a top-quality defender who is needed at City right now, but it’s laughable for Arsenal.
Agree or disagree? This should be Arsenal’s starting XI in the Carabao Cup final!
Firstly, the Gunners will see Guardiola’s words as a sign of weakness: he’s not confident that his defence is capable of limiting Arsenal without Guehi.
Secondly, that in itself is a humorous stance, as Guehi isn’t a player who enjoys facing Arsenal.
In his career, the Englishman has come up against the Gunners 11 times, possessing a win rate of 9%.
In those 11 appearances, the centre-back has managed to keep just one clean sheet against the North Londoners.
It must be acknowledged that Guehi was playing for Crystal Palace at the time, but right now, his teammates in Man City’s back four aren’t exactly difference-makers.
Therefore, it must be asked, how much of an impact would Guehi’s inclusion really have on the cup final?
Why can’t Marc Guehi play in the Carabao Cup final?
Arsenal won’t listen to Guardiola’s demands for a rule change, as the objective remains the same, whether Guehi plays or not.
Be honest, if this rule impacted an Arsenal player, what would you think?
The rules are the rules, Pep 😴
It’s fascinating that Guardiola is so eager for the rule to be changed in the season that it was first implemented.
As of the 2025/26 season, Carabao Cup rules state that any player signed after the first leg of the semi-final is ineligible to play in the remainder of the tournament.
It rules Guehi out, as it would rule any player in that situation, and Guardiola ultimately has to make peace with that.
From Arsenal’s point of view, all the City boss has achieved is showing his lack of confidence in his defence without Guehi, which is a plus for the Gunners.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
