Kepa being consoled by his Arsenal team-mates. (Image: Getty)
It took just four minutes for Manchester City to wrestle control of the Carabao Cup final away from Arsenal. But in truth, the warning signs had been there long before Nico O’Reilly’s decisive brace at Wembley. Pep Guardiola celebrated getting one over on his former protege Mikel Arteta, who may now be left wondering whether he made a costly mistake before a ball had even been kicked.
There were a few eyebrow-raising decisions when Arsenal’s teamsheet dropped at 3:15pm. Leandro Trossard was preferred to Gabriel Martinelli, while Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz were paired together, with the German operating deeper in the absence of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.
But the most significant call came between the posts.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was handed the gloves ahead of David Raya.
It was a defensible, if slightly sentimental, decision. The Spaniard had started every round of the competition, playing a key role in Arsenal’s run to Wembley.
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Arteta stood by his man before kick-off. “He fully deserves it,” he insisted. “He’s been phenomenal when he’s played. He’s played the whole competition and we fully trust him.”
Yet little more than an hour later, that trust looked badly misplaced.
The first warning came when Kepa misjudged a long ball, allowing it to drift over his head into a dangerous area. Jeremy Doku pounced and was fouled, with City supporters demanding a red card. Referee Peter Bankes showed leniency, opting for a yellow, judging the angle too wide to constitute a clear goalscoring opportunity.
It was a let-off Arsenal failed to heed.
Rayan Cherki’s speculative cross should have been routine, but it slipped through Kepa’s grasp and fell kindly to O’Reilly, who made no mistake in breaking the deadlock.
Kepa fouled Jeremy Doku outside of his penalty area. (Image: Getty)
It was the kind of error that lingers, the sort that defines cup finals and haunts careers. Kepa’s reaction said it all: disbelief, then despair.
The reality is brutal. With so little football under his belt this season, should he have been trusted on such a stage?
On the bench sat David Raya, widely regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in world football. Few would back him to make a similar mistake in such a high-stakes moment.
Kepa will shoulder the blame, as goalkeepers typically do. But the spotlight must also fall on Arteta.
If the Arsenal manager truly wanted to maximise his side’s chances of lifting silverware, Raya should have started.
Cup competitions often provide opportunities for squad players. But not at any cost.
Christian Norgaard was not picked ahead of Martin Zubimendi. Gabriel was not sacrificed for Cristhian Mosquera.
So why was the most important position on the pitch treated differently?
It is a question Arteta may struggle to answer – and one Arsenal supporters will not forget in a hurry.
Arteta has done very little wrong since taking over, but a failure to deliver on the big stage remains a concern. Those in charge at the Emirates will hope that this was a one-off rather than a wider issue that needs addressing.