Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, a decision Piers Morgan disagrees with. The Spaniard committed an error that led to his side conceding the first goal in a 2-0 defeat to their rivals.
Arteta spoke to reporters after the game, explaining the logic behind his decision to play Kepa from the start despite the availability of first-choice goalkeeper David Raya. He pointed out that he did what he felt was right in picking Kepa, and it would have been unfair on him and on the team if he had done otherwise.
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“I have to do what I think is right, honest and fair. It would have been very, very unfair on him and on the team to do something different”, he said (via @SamJDean on X).
Piers Morgan did not agree with the Arsenal boss, pointing out that cup final selections should be devoid of sentiments. The media personality posted on X that the best available players should feature when it comes to finals.
“Don’t agree with this. Best available XI should play any cup final. Sentiment should never come into it”, he wrote.
Kepa Arrizabalaga had played in every game in the Carabao Cup since joining Arsenal for just £5 million last summer. The 31-year-old kept three clean sheets in previous rounds before having a disastrous showing in the final against City.
Kepa was perhaps fortunate to avoid a red card in the 51st minute for a foul on Jeremy Doku, with the referee ruling it not to have been a clear goalscoring opportunity and brandishing a yellow card, instead. His error nine minutes later proved to be the turning point in the game, as he allowed a high cross from Rayan Cherki slip between his gloves for Nico O’Reilly to score.
Arsenal extend unwanted record in Carabao Cup final
Arsenal have extended an unwanted record as they lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City by a 2-0 scoreline. The Gunners failed in their bid to win a first major trophy since 2020, falling short at Wembley against the Cityzens.
Mikel Arteta’s side lost a record-extending seventh League Cup final, last winning the competition 33 years ago. The Gunners became Pep Guardiola‘s fifth victim in a Carabao Cup final, as the Manchester City boss became the first manager to win the competition five times.
Nico O’Reilly was the hero of the game, with the City academy graduate scoring a pair of headers in a four-minute spell in the second half. The Cityzens will hope to carry their performance from this game into what is left of the season, as they remain in the hunt for the Premier League and FA Cup titles.
Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen
