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Arsenal suffered heartbreak at Wembley on Sunday, with Manchester City claiming a 2-0 win to lift the Carabao Cup trophy
It wasn't supposed to end like that. Arsenal had hopes of winning the quadruple this season but Manchester City had different ideas.
The 2-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday means attention turns straight back to the Premier League title race.
Mikel Arteta's side also have quarter-finals in the FA Cup and Champions League against Southampton and Sporting Lisbon coming up too.
But could Wembley heartbreak have an impact as the Gunners chase their first top-flight title crown since the 2003-04 season? And could it give Pep Guardiola's City much-needed momentum heading into the latter stages of the season.
football.london writers have their say...
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Matt Maltby
The defeat certainly raises doubts over Arsenal's mentality in big matches, that's for sure. This was their big moment, their chance to win their first major trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2020.
But none of their players showed up. They were on top in the first half but City were dominant in the second period and deserved the win. Where does it leave Arsenal as they target glory?
They have seven huge games remaining and despite City having a game in hand, the nine-point lead looks to be too much for Guardiola's side to chase down.
The clash at the Etihad between Arsenal and City on April 19 is undoubtedly huge, but even if the north Londoners lose that and City win their game in hand, the Gunners will still have the lead at the top.
What the Carabao Cup defeat does do, though, is put a spotlight on Arsenal's struggles to win one-off cup matches. That means FA Cup and Champions League glory is by no means guaranteed.
They should get past Sporting in the quarters but with a potential clash against Barcelona in the last-four, I just can't see them getting past the Spanish giants. Not if they perform the way they did against City on Sunday...
Jake Stokes
Although the manner of the defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final doesn't reflect well on Mikel Arteta, I'm still fairly confident that Arsenal will win the Premier League. This season, the Gunners have been far more consistent than Pep Guardiola's side, grinding out results week in week out.
I don't expect that to suddenly change, unless of course the loss at Wembley Stadium has knocked them for six. Having bottled the title race in each of the last three years, I just can't imagine how they would've experienced and overcome such heartbreak without learning anything – on and off the pitch.
Of course, Manchester City could very easily slash the deficit to just three points, assuming they win their game in hand against Crystal Palace and beat Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. Surely the north Londoners don't fluff their lines again, right?
Guardiola will be relishing the role of the underdog. But Arteta will take pleasure in playing the villain; he won't care how his side get over the line.
Isaac Seelochan
I can't see this having too much of an impact on Arsenal - considering their commanding position in the Premier League. I had a feeling before kickoff that they would lose, just because they haven't played a final since they last won one in 2020.
They froze a little bit in the second-half. It was if the occasion got to them and that's normal if you haven't played on that stage in six years and most of the current squad weren't even part of that team which won the FA Cup.
I imagine this experience will put them in good stead for the rest of the season. I wouldn't be surprised if they go on to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final and win the league off the back of this. There wasn't much between the two teams in the first-half.
The Champions League is a different question however. I think their efforts domestically this season will see them struggle to win that competition - even if they have a favourable draw.
Patrick Austen-Hardy
Kepa's mistake is the headline, but Arsenal, whether it was out of arrogance, mental fatigue or maybe even misfortune, just did not play to their usual levels. That is why they were the ones left watching City celebrate with the trophy.
When City and Arsenal both reached the final, this clash was seen as a key battle, given the psychological boost either team would gain from winning the title. With Arsenal nine points ahead, even with City having a game in hand, this clash may not be as vital as first thought.
Instead, this humbling has come at an ideal time for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta and his staff will have the international break to analyse where they went wrong, while those with their nations or staying at home will have the best part of two weeks to move on from the disappointment.
But they will have to learn their lesson quickly. Arsenal's intensity and quality were mind-blowingly low and they cannot afford to repeat that display against anybody, let alone at the Etihad Stadium for that critical meeting.
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