Arsenal receive Carabao Cup final boost as Pep Guardiola fumes over Man City star’s ban

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be without a key player for Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Arsenal

Pep Guardiola was left furious after Marc Guehi was declared unavailable for Manchester City's Carabao Cup final showdown with Arsenal.

The Gunners will face off against City at Wembley Stadium this Sunday, as both teams vie for the season's first available trophy. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter given that the two clubs are also entangled in a Premier League title race, which Arsenal currently lead by nine points.

Guardiola's squad must also contend with the mental setback of their midweek Champions League exit following a devastating last-16 loss to Real Madrid, while Mikel Arteta's team advanced to the quarter-finals. Guardiola might also believe his side are entering the cup final at a disadvantage due to EFL regulations barring Guehi from participating against Arteta's side.

Guehi was signed from Crystal Palace in January, having already played against Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the same tournament back in December. Carabao Cup rules, introduced for the first time this campaign, stipulate that if a player is signed after the first leg of the semi-final then he is ineligible to participate in the remainder of the competition.

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Guardiola, who famously clinched the competition a record four consecutive times, expressed his disagreement with the rule back in February. After City secured their spot in the final, the manager expressed his confusion over the regulation and hoped City would appeal to the EFL to have his £20m defender declared eligible to face Arsenal.

He said: "Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the players fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final. Because it's difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don't understand why he cannot play the final.

"So, hopefully we write a letter, and hopefully the Carabao Cup can understand. He's not able to play for a rule that I don't understand why. Hopefully, they can change it."

However, City's appeals were ultimately unsuccessful, meaning Guardiola will have to depend on his other choices. Despite Josko Gvardiol being injured, Guardiola still has Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov at his disposal.

He last won the trophy in 2021, while Arsenal's most recent triumph in the competition dates back to 1993. Arteta will be aiming to secure his second piece of silverware since taking the reins at the Gunners, having previously won the FA Cup in his debut season.

After his side beat Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate to make the final, the Spaniard admitted the final could help boost his players during a congested fixture list. He said: "We're only one match away.

"It's the best vitamins that we can put in our bodies because we're playing every three days. But the fact that we worked so hard to achieve those moments and to have these moments together is just magical.

"You can see the joy, the smiles, the energy from everyone that works at the club. Winning helps in every sense. Confidence, energy, you call it."