Predicting Arsenal’s starting XI vs. Man City in Carabao Cup final: No Raya or Gyokeres… | OneFootball

Arsenal face Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday with this season’s first piece of silverware on the line: the Carabao Cup.

Mikel Arteta still only has one trophy as Gunners boss – the FA Cup six years ago – and that was a completely different squad, meaning this group has nothing tangible to show for its incredible development under the Spanish manager.

The League Cup has forever been the ‘other trophy’, but it’s grown in importance in recent years, and Arsenal fans know winning this season’s competition could open the floodgates, with a potential quadruple in sight.

But who will Arteta select to get Arsenal over the line against Man City? We have predicted the Gunners’ starting XI for Sunday.

GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga

Kepa is Arsenal’s cup goalkeeper and Raya’s terrific form will not change that. Plus, denying Kepa an appearance in the League Cup final would be like a child waking up to no presents on Christmas morning.

RB: Ben White

Jurrien Timber is an injury doubt and White is the leading candidate to replace him.

Mikel Arteta could be pulling the wool over our eyes with this one, but if Timber is unavailable, White will start. If there’s any chance Timber is fit enough to start, he will surely get the nod.

CB: William Saliba

Arsenal’s shift to becoming contenders in every competition truly began when Saliba came into the side. After three loan spells, Arteta decided the Frenchman was ready in August 2022 and nobody has looked back.

Saliba was not in the squad when Arsenal won their last trophy in 2020 but will be a starter in this season’s Carabao Cup final.

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes

Arsenal’s two main centre-backs will surely start together at Wembley, with a first major trophy since 2020 on the line.

You’d back Gabriel to have a big game more often than not, and he loves battling against Erling Haaland. That is absolutely the matchup to watch.

LB: Piero Hincapie

Myles Lewis-Skelly has played 270 of his 762 domestic minutes this season in the Carabao Cup, but he has not played nearly enough minutes of late to be considered ahead of Hincapie or Riccardo Calafiori.

Such is Arsenal’s outstanding depth, there are 50/50 calls pretty much all over the pitch. With it being a final, the more in-form player is the slight favourite, but with it being the League Cup, the second choice cannot be ruled out.

We’re backing the in-form Hincapie in this instance.

DM: Martin Zubimendi

The new glue of the Arsenal midfield simply has to start at Wembley and there is not a sliver of doubt over his inclusion.

CM: Eberechi Eze

Martin Odegaard has been injured and might not even make the bench on Sunday, meaning Eze – who scored a belting volley against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday – is a shoo-in to start against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Eze has the chance to win his third Wembley trophy in less than a year after waiting his entire career for one. He is a player well prepared for the big occasions.

CM: Declan Rice

The Arsenal midfield is expected to look like this, and Rice is the glue right now. He will be crucial on Sunday.

RW: Bukayo Saka

Saka is expected to captain the Gunners against City with Odegaard not fit enough to start.

Arsenal’s Starboy has been far from his best this season, but there’s no chance Noni Madueke or Max Dowman start ahead of him. Both could feature from the bench, but Saka will start and captain the Gunners.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli

Another big call for Arteta is who will start on the left side of his attack.

Leandro Trossard is Arsenal’s Mr Clutch but will probably start on the bench, considering Martinelli has started six of the seven cup matches he has been fit and available for this campaign.

Martinelli’s form in the Premier League has been very disappointing, but he has been relentless in the cup competitions, scoring 10 of his 11 goals this season in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Interestingly, he has none in the League Cup.

ST: Kai Havertz

Arteta has a big decision to make up front.

Does he go for £64million summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus, or Havertz? Jesus should be getting most of his minutes in the cups, but at this stage of the competition, he should be third choice.

It’s a toss-up between Gyokeres and Havertz. The latter gets the edge simply because he has looked better than Gyokeres, and that means he gives Arsenal a better chance of victory.