Carabao Cup Final: Arteta urges Arsenal to ‘bring it home’

Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal squad to seize the moment and “bring it home” as they prepare for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

The final offers Arsenal a chance to shed their “nearly men” tag after three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League.

Read Also: Arsenal beat Chelsea to seal Carabao Cup final spot

Despite enjoying a superb campaign, sitting nine points clear of City and well-positioned in both the Champions League and FA Cup, Arteta admitted silverware is now the true measure of progress.

“When it comes to the crucial moments, that’s when you need your big players to step up and make the difference,” he said.

The Spaniard described the clash as one of the “defining moments” of the season, insisting that reaching finals is no longer enough.

“At the end of the day, it is about whether you win the trophy or not,” Arteta added. “That is the most important thing once you get to the final… we need to prove that point on the pitch.”

Since taking charge in 2019 after leaving his assistant role under Pep Guardiola, Arteta has transformed Arsenal into genuine contenders. However, his only major honour remains the 2020 FA Cup.

Guardiola, meanwhile, played down talk of tension between the two managers, despite their ongoing rivalry. Arteta also reiterated his respect for his former mentor, crediting him as a lasting influence on his career.

Arsenal face late fitness checks on captain Martin Odegaard and defender Jurrien Timber, who missed the midweek win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Arteta has also kept his goalkeeper selection under wraps, with Kepa Arrizabalaga used in domestic cups and David Raya preferred in league and European fixtures.

For City, Guardiola confirmed James Trafford will continue in goal ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, having featured throughout their domestic cup run.