Preview: Arsenal vs Manchester City - prediction, team news, lineups

The EFL Cup trophy will sport red and white or sky blue ribbons on Sunday evening, when either Arsenal or Manchester City will take the famous walk up the Wembley Stadium steps to collect their winners' medals after a mouth-watering final.

The last time the Gunners conquered this competition, none of their current players had even been born; meanwhile, Pep Guardiola's charges are seeking a first piece of major silverware since the 2022-23 Champions League, in what is remarkably the first-ever EFL Cup final to be contested by the first and second-placed Premier League teams.

Match preview

Quadruple this, quadruple that - the four-trophy progress bar still sits at 0% for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side, but 0% could become 25% if the North London giants can banish an EFL Cup hoodoo that has haunted them for three decades.

April 18, 1993 was the last time that the Gunners hoisted the League Cup trophy aloft, six years after their inaugural success; in contrast, Arsenal's six final defeats - most recently to their upcoming foes in 2018 - is more than any other side.

The path to Wembley was not without its bumps for Arsenal, but Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Chelsea ultimately proved no match for the Premier League leaders, whose substitutes and staff could not help but invade the pitch when Kai Havertz tucked away the winner in the second leg of the semi-final against the Blues.

Nearly six years on from the 2019-20 FA Cup showpiece - Arteta's first and only final at Arsenal so far (excluding the perpetually debated Community Shields) - the ex-Man City assistant can now write a new chapter of club history by becoming the first Gunners manager to win his first two major cup finals.

History is firmly on the Spaniard's side, as he is unbeaten in eight previous Wembley appearances for Arsenal as both a player and manager; more importantly, recent form favours the men in red and white too.

The Gunners are unbeaten in 14 games following Tuesday's straightforward 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, a result that also marked their sixth win from seven across all competitions.

Prior to kickoff in the Champions League last-16 second legs, Man City had quadruple ambitions of their own - albeit much more fleeting quadruple ambitions - to keep alive, but the latest chapter of the Real Madrid-Sky Blues rivalry belonged to Los Blancos.

Lambasted for his tactical selections in the first leg - which triggered an impassioned speech in front of the media - Guardiola witnessed an improvement in front of the Etihad faithful, but not enough to prevent a disheartening 2-1 defeat and premature European elimination.

Another tumultuous Citizens campaign could still be salvaged domestically - Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals await next month - but with just one win to show from five games in all tournaments, Guardiola's possible farewell campaign could be a forgettable one.

It is no longer too early to say that the Premier League title is Arsenal's to lose, while the Gunners sit nine points clear at the top of the table - albeit having played a game more - but when it comes to League Cup legacy alone, there is only one victor.

Man City have won eight of their nine EFL Cup finals, including the last seven in a row since the 1974 showpiece against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Guardiola could become the first coach to conquer the competition a staggering five times.

However, thanks to Gabriel Martinelli's last-gasp leveller at the Emirates in September, Man City are winless in each of their last six games against Arsenal, whose prospective seventh straight match without defeat against the Citizens would be very heavenly indeed.

Arsenal EFL Cup form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Manchester City EFL Cup form:

Manchester City form (all competitions):

Team News

In quintessential Arteta fashion, the Arsenal boss gave his standard reply when asked about team news for the EFL Cup final, taking the "wait and see" approach with both Jurrien Timber (ankle) and skipper Martin Odegaard (knee).

Foot victim Mikel Merino is definitely out of contention for the weekend, but Eberechi Eze will seemingly be OK, despite suffering a scare in the second leg with Leverkusen which he swiftly played down.

The Gunners coach also refused to confirm whether Kepa Arrizabalaga or David Raya would guard the sticks, but the former has barely put a foot wrong as Arsenal's number two and should be given the nod at Wembley, seven years on from the infamous Maurizio Sarri incident.

On the other hand, Guardiola happily confirmed who would be given the gloves for Man City in his pre-game press conference; James Trafford will replace Gianluigi Donnarumma for the final.

Only Josko Gvardiol (calf) is out injured for the eight-time winners, but Guardiola will controversially have to make do without January signing Marc Guehi, ineligible for the showdown with Arsenal.

The former Crystal Palace man was only a substitute in the second-leg loss to Real Madrid anyway, but Guardiola could still opt for a defensive alteration, with John Stones stepping in for Abdukodir Khusanov.

Bernardo Silva's sending-off in midweek - the first of his career in the Champions League - means nothing for Wembley, where Erling Haaland will aim to score under the famous arch for the first time on the seventh attempt.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Kepa; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Stones, Ait-Nouri; Silva, Rodri, O'Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo

We say: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City

Fans of both teams and neutrals alike have learned not to expect fireworks to fly when Arsenal and Man City meet, as Guardiola and Arteta engage in the most tensely-fought battle of tactical wits, leading to some contests best consigned to history.

Even though there will be desperation on both ends to conquer the EFL Cup this weekend, that is unlikely to translate into the goal-laden, engrossing affair many will be hoping for.

That said, if there is one team who can find a route to goal when all avenues are seemingly blocked off, and keep said lead when their opponents are huffing and puffing, it is the set-piece specialists.

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