Arsenal vs. Man City: Mikel Arteta's astonishing Wembley record in focus ahead of EFL Cup final

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta could achieve a feat that no previous Gunners boss has ever managed in Sunday's EFL Cup final showdown with Manchester City at Wembley.

Excluding two Community Shield triumphs in 2020 and 2023, the 43-year-old has masterminded just the one major trophy win since taking the reins from Unai Emery, clinching the FA Cup in the former year.

Arteta has inherited the Arsenal EFL Cup curse that has haunted the North London outfit ever since the pre-Arsene Wenger days, as success on Sunday would see them lift their first League Cup since 1993.

However, the ex-Gunners midfielder has overseen victories over Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and most recently Chelsea to get to this stage, and he is just 90 minutes away from an unprecedented feat.

Arsenal overcame Chelsea 2-1 in the 2019-20 FA Cup final - Arteta's only showpiece to date - and he could become the first Gunners men's boss in history to win both of his first two finals.

Mikel Arteta's Wembley record in focus ahead of Arsenal vs. Man City

Wenger's first Arsenal final in the 1997-98 FA Cup ended in triumph over Newcastle United, but he lost his second against Galatasaray with the 2000 UEFA Cup on the line.

Many decades prior, the legendary Herbert Chapman only won one domestic cup in the shape of the 1929-30 FA Cup; Arsenal were beaten in the final by Newcastle two years later under the same head coach.

However, the current Premier League leaders can take confidence from Arteta's extraordinary Wembley record, as the former Everton lynchpin has never lost at the stadium as a player or manager for Arsenal.

The Spaniard was involved in four Wembley games for the Gunners as a player - the 2013-14 FA Cup semi-final and final as well as the 2014 and 2015 Community Shields - all of which Wenger's men emerged victorious in.

As Arsenal head coach, Arteta has masterminded successes in the 2019-20 FA Cup semi-final and final - the former of which came against Man City - 2020 Community Shield, 2023 Community Shield.

The 2013-14 FA Cup semi-final, 2020 and 2023 Community Shields all went to penalties, but on each occasion, Arteta's Arsenal held their nerve from 12 yards to get the job done.

Arsenal and Man City in fascinating 2022 repeat in EFL Cup final

The Gunners manager refused to confirm whether he would select David Raya or Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal for Sunday's final, but the latter is expected to get the nod after playing every minute of the campaign so far.

Kepa has been involved in a pair of memorable EFL Cup finals already, from the Maurizio Sarri debacle in 2019 to his penalty-shootout failure in 2022 for Chelsea against Liverpool.

The latter was a one-of-a-kind final, the first EFL Cup showpiece to be fought by two non-British managers of the same nationality, as German counterparts Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel squared off.

Sunday's contest will therefore be just the second EFL Cup final between non-British managers from the same country, one in which Pep Guardiola will aim to become the first head coach to win the tournament on five occasions.