Vital Arsenal duo out of Carabao Cup final as Arteta's XI confirmed | OneFootball

Arsenal will be without key duo Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber for today’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

The Gunners are chasing a first major trophy in six years, and still have a pretty strong-looking side available to them, even if Eze in particular will be a big miss due to his superb recent form.

White is a very capable backup for Timber, even if the latter has been Mikel Arteta’s first choice for so much of this season.

There’s also an interesting selection decision in goal as Arteta has opted once again for Kepa Arrizabalaga over David Raya in this competition…

Arsenal XI to take on Manchester City

The Arsenal XI in full is: Kepa; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres

Havertz in an attacking midfield role will be interesting to see, with big pressure on the Germany international to fill in in a position that would normally go to either Eze or Martin Odegaard.

But with both of them absent today, the former Chelsea striker will need to be at his very best to provide both creativity and a goal threat from the middle of the park.

Arsenal need a win today to set the tone for the rest of the season

Today’s game feels huge for Arsenal when it comes to their ambitions for this season.

Arteta’s project has gone well and is only missing a trophy to show for it, and one feels if they can pick up this piece of silverware today, it will be the first of many.

AFC are already ahead of City in the title race, and beating them in this competition should give them that extra belief to finish above them in the league.

A defeat, meanwhile, could hand belief right back to Pep Guardiola and co. as they look to catch up with the Gunners in the title race.