Opinion: Arsenal’s Chance To Banish League Cup Ghosts At Wembley

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·11 February 2026

Opinion: Arsenal’s Chance To Banish League Cup Ghosts At Wembley

Arsenal have found themselves in the final of the League Cup for the first time since that dreary day back in 2018 against Manchester City.

Remembering The Pain Of Past League Cup Finals

With a down and out Arsene Wenger at the helm, Arsenal were well beaten in a subdued 3-0 defeat by Pep Guardiola’s side, who were far superior to the North Londoners on their big day out during the 2017-18 campaign.

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This time around, life should be rosier for Mikel Arteta’s side, who have become a powerhouse in the English game over the past four years, despite having no winners’ medals to show for their much improved efforts since that traumatising League Cup final loss to the blue side of Manchester.

I cannot say I feel very confident ahead of the 22nd March League Cup final showdown against Manchester City, especially after we just about managed a late 1-1 draw earlier this season at home, with Gabriel Martinelli’s goal stealing the headlines.

However, look at Arsenal now. They are currently holding their ground over City in the Premiership, with Guardiola’s side slipping up more times than can be counted compared to Arteta’s resilient army, which Arsenal should use to their advantage.

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Why Wembley Could Define Arsenal’s Season

To win at Wembley against Guardiola’s team would really propel Arsenal’s season and lift the players heading into the final stretch of the campaign, perhaps even pushing us towards our first league title in a generation since the Invincibles lifted the Premier League trophy in 2003-04, before we left our old home of Highbury two years later.

Arsenal have not won any silverware for six years, following the 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, sealed by Aaron Ramsey’s solo effort. Time is ticking for both the club and Arteta to show that this era can deliver tangible success.

Winning the League Cup alone would not define the season as a success, but it would still represent progress after finishing runners up in the Premiership for three consecutive years when we arguably should have won it.

There are many young fans who were not even born when the red side of North London claimed their last League Cup triumph back in 1993, beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 courtesy of a Steve Morrow winner. Arsenal later became the first team in English football to complete the Cup double after defeating the same opponents in the FA Cup final replay that May, following an initial 1-1 draw.

Arsenal now have the chance to rectify their last three League Cup final defeats, stretching back almost 20 years. That includes the 2-1 loss to Chelsea in 2007, despite Theo Walcott giving us an early lead, and the horrific 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City in 2011, a side who were relegated from the Premier League that same year.

It truly feels like now or never. Can we bring some silverware home Gooners?

Liam Harding

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