Arteta defends decision to start Kepa in Carabao Cup final despite costly error – and gives update on Eze | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to start Kepa in goal in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City despite making a costly error during the game.

Kepa failed to catch the ball for City’s opener, giving Nico O’Reilly a simple finish from close range before he later added a second in a 2-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Asked about the criticism of his decision not to start David Raya, Arteta responded: “I understand that but I have to do what I feel is right and honest and what is fair.

“I think we have an outstanding keeper in Kepa. He’s played all the competition and I think it would have been very, very unfair for him and for the team to do something different.

“I can never promise players to play in certain competitions. In the end they have to earn it and they have to do enough, like any other position.

“We are guided by what we feel and when he’s done what he has done in the competition and helped us to go all the way to here, I believe it’s the right thing to do.

“Errors are part of football and today unfortunately it happened in a crucial moment.”

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Arteta is now urging his players to use the loss as motivation to end the season by winning other silverware.

“Have some perspective on it,” he said. What this team has done in the last eight months has been incredible and we’re going to use this disappointment and fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we’ve ever had together.”

Ebere Eze missed the final due to a calf injury but Arteta says he is not yet sure how long he will be out for.

“We have to do another scan in six or seven days and wait and see the results,” he said.

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