Carabao Cup LIVE: Man City beat Arsenal to win first trophy of the season

Guardiola's Man City trophy haul

Arsenal 0-2 Man City

"We always found a way to win titles," says Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

A master of understatement. We make it 15 major honours in 10 years for the Spaniard since he was appointed as successor to Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium in 2016:

Premier League x 6

2017-18

2018-19

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

League Cup x 5

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2025-26

FA Cup x 2

2018-19

2022-23

Champions League x 1

2022-23

Fifa Club World Cup x 1

2023-24

'Special' Carabao Cup win - Guardiola

Arsenal 0-2 Man City

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports that winning the Carabao Cup was "special because we had a tough two weeks".

"What [Arsenal] did in the Champions League is so difficult. In the first 15 minutes they suffocated us, we could not breathe. After that we won some second balls and started to play.

"I'm really pleased because Mikel created a team that is almost unbeatable. A fifth Carabao Cup in 10 years is not bad. Every time you win a title it looks more difficult than in the past. It is really difficult for many reasons.

"We are still not the team like Arsenal are or like we were in the past. We always found a way to win titles."

Face of thunder/beaming smile - contrasting Carabao cup emotions

Arsenal 0-2 Man City

Emotions expressed by the two managers at the final whistle at Wembley on Sunday could not have been more contrasting.

Manchester City's Pep Guardiola was as giddy as we have ever seen him, hugging everyone and anyone in sight, while Arsenal's Mikel Arteta had a face of thunder.

That's not surprising in itself, there is always a winner and a loser in every cup final, but emotions were heightened for both managers for different reasons.

Guardiola now stands alone as the most successful manager in League Cup history after leading his City side to victory for a fifth time. It also marked a first trophy since the 2023-24 season and the end of a transition in his latest squad.

Many commentators are questioning just how long the Spaniard will stay at the Etihad - his contract runs until the end of next season, but could this be his last?

Arteta, meanwhile, has been given longer than most managers in the Premier League to bring success to his club. This was supposed to be the first step towards paying back the patience shown by Arsenal's owners.

He has three more chances this season to redeem himself, but how much of an impact could this latest setback have on a squad that has finished runners-up in the Premier League for the past three seasons?

O'Reilly double sinks Arsenal and hands Guardiola fifth EFL Cup win

Arsenal 0-2 Man City

Phil McNulty

BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

Manchester City ended Arsenal's bid for a historic Quadruple with a deserved victory in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Nico O'Reilly scored twice in four second-half minutes as Pep Guardiola's side overpowered the Premier League leaders with an outstanding display.

It was a day of pain for Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta, whose decision to keep faith with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in this competition instead of first-choice David Raya backfired badly.

Kepa gifted City their first goal on the hour when he dropped Rayan Cherki's routine cross for O'Reilly to pounce with a stooping header.

O'Reilly swiftly doubled City's advantage, arriving at the far post to power home Matheus Nunes' cross with another header - Guardiola sprinting down the touchline in celebration.

City's win means Guardiola becomes the first manager to win the EFL Cup five times, while Arteta and Arsenal must wait to claim their first silverware since the FA Cup in 2020.

Is it a good morning?

Arsenal 0-2 Man City

Manchester City's goalscoring defender Nico O'Reilly will report for England duty this week still basking in the warm glow of his Carabao Cup double after finding the net twice to dash Arsenal's dreams of a Quadruple.

Meanwhile, the Gunners' contingent at the Three Lions camp - Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka - will have to dust themselves down and reset before moving on to their next challenge.

Arsenal were aiming for just a second major trophy under manager Mikel Arteta and first since their FA Cup win in 2020.

But they have three more chances to rectify that this season - with a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League, albeit having played a game more than closest rivals City, and into the quarter-finals of both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

The question we will be asking you today is what impact will this latest disappointment have on the Arteta's Arsenal, and could Guardiola's latest crop of City trophy hunters stand in their way of other domestic silverware this season?

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