Arsenal lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the 2026 Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 22 March. Nico O’Reilly scored two close-range goals in the second half. Manchester City took the lead after a heavy mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Gunners went to Wembley dreaming of a historic quadruple. They are still competing in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. However, this defeat completely crushed those hopes.
Arteta keen to overcome Manchester City setback
Mikel Arteta spoke to the press on 26 March, his 44th birthday. He gave an honest look at the failure. He called the result painful and recognised the hard work of the players and fans. Arteta admitted the dressing room felt bitter after the whistle. He also defended the decision to start Kepa over David Raya.
He explained that Kepa played every round of the tournament. Arteta felt dropping him for the final would be unfair, despite the error. Behind closed doors, Arteta told his players to keep their heads up. He reminded them of their success over the last eight months. He insisted this disappointment must fire them up for the final weeks of the season.
“Well, especially to have some perspective on it and what this team has done in the last eight months has been incredible,” Arteta commented when questioned about his message to the squad. “We’re going to use this disappointment and this fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we have ever had together.
“That’s on us, and we’ll manage that energy in the right way. Now we have to go through that pain and disappointment, and it’s normal, and it’s part of football.”
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The big question at the Emirates is about mental strength. Can this group bounce back properly? Arsenal lead the Premier League by nine points. They also have good draws in the Champions League and FA Cup quarter-finals. Their season could still be a massive success. However, the Wembley performance created doubts. Critics wonder if the squad has enough attacking spark to match their elite defence. There are also concerns about a mental block when facing Manchester City.
The context makes this loss hurt more than the score suggests. Arsenal’s old problems caused the defeat, not just the lineup. A nervous second-half performance killed their creativity. Injuries to Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze also limited Arteta’s options. He moved Kai Havertz into a central creative role. The German had rarely played there over the past two seasons. This move clearly stopped the team from supporting striker Viktor Gyökeres.
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Arteta has built something special at Arsenal. The Spaniard’s project is significant, but the final showed a recurring flaw. The team still find it hard to change tactics mid-game against top sides. Arteta has little time to fix these issues before the season reaches its peak. The treble is still possible, and the league lead is large. Now, Arsenal must prove they can do more than just beat average teams. They must show they can be brave when it matters most.
