Manchester City secured their fifth Carabao Cup under Pep Guardiola on Sunday, defeating Arsenal 2–0 at Wembley Stadium to extend the manager’s flawless record in the competition.
The victory, secured by a brace from full-back Nico O’Reilly, not only added another piece of silverware to the club’s growing collection but also brought an end to Arsenal’s hopes of securing an unprecedented quadruple this season.
Guardiola’s dominance in the League Cup final remained unblemished as he oversaw his fifth triumph in as many appearances since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium.
The Catalan manager’s record in the fixture now stands as evidence to his side’s consistency in knockout competition:
· 2026: Arsenal 0–2 Man City
· 2021: Man City 1–0 Tottenham
· 2020: Aston Villa 1–2 Man City
· 2019: Chelsea 0–0 Man City (City won on penalties)
· 2018: Arsenal 0–3 Man City
Five finals. Five trophies.
On this occasion, it was O’Reilly who emerged as the unlikely hero. The full-back, deployed in an advanced role, struck twice in the space of four second-half minutes to stun a disciplined Arsenal side that had largely contained City’s attacking threats for the opening hour. Both goals arrived via headers the first from a well-delivered corner, the second following a pinpoint cross from the right flank as O’Reilly capitalized on lapses in the Gunners’ defensive structure.
The defeat represented a blow to Mikel Arteta’s side, who entered the final with aspirations of assembling a historic quadruple. Arsenal remain nine points clear at the summit of the Premier League, though Manchester City hold a game in hand ahead of their pivotal league meeting at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. That fixture now carries added weight, with City having demonstrated their capacity to disrupt Arsenal’s domestic ambitions at Wembley.
For Guardiola and Manchester City, the victory adds a 37th official trophy to the club’s history, further narrowing the gap to the traditional pacesetters in English football’s all-time honours list. The updated standings among the most successful English clubs by major official trophies are as follows:
Club Trophies
Manchester United 68
Liverpool 68
Arsenal 49
Manchester City 37
Chelsea 36
Tottenham Hotspur 27
Aston Villa 25
Everton 24
The Carabao Cup triumph also marks a record fifth League Cup success for Guardiola during his Manchester City tenure, underlining a period of sustained domestic cup dominance that has run parallel to the club’s Premier League and European endeavours.
Most successful teams in the history of the Carabao Cup:
10 times — Liverpool
9 times — Manchester City
6 times — Manchester United
5 times — Chelsea
5 times — Aston Villa
4 times — Tottenham
4 times — Nottingham Forest
3 times — Leicester City
