MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City claimed the League Cup on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley, capitalizing on a costly mistake from Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
City’s Nico O’Reilly scored twice after Kepa let a cross from Rayan Cherki slip through his hands in the second half, giving City the lead. O’Reilly added a second goal four minutes later to seal the win, earning City their ninth League Cup and manager Pep Guardiola his record fifth in the competition.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta took a gamble by starting Kepa over first-choice David Raya, but the decision backfired. Kepa’s history in the League Cup has been turbulent, including a 2019 Chelsea final incident where he refused to be substituted and failed to save any penalties, and a missed penalty in the 2022 final against Liverpool.
Arsenal’s hopes for a quadruple ended with the defeat, though they remain competitive in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. For City, the victory serves as a boost after their recent Champions League exit and keeps pressure on the Premier League leaders.
James Trafford started in goal for City in place of regular keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, producing a standout triple save to deny Arsenal early chances. City’s dominance intensified in the second half, with Rodri and Bernardo Silva orchestrating the buildup to the decisive goals.
Guardiola celebrated wildly after the final whistle, marking his 15th major trophy with Manchester City.