Man City taught Arsenal and Mikel Arteta a lesson with stunning statement in Carabao Cup final

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• Manchester City FC

Manchester City showed all their experience and ability to down Arsenal and win the Carabao Cup.

Ahead of kick-off, two banners went up in the City end simply reading 'Wembley again, ole ole'.

It was a reminder that they had been here before. Plenty. 22 times under Pep Guardiola, in fact. They are a course and distance side who know what it takes to win trophies.

Arsenal, by contrast, haven't lifted silverware since the FA Cup final in 2020. This was their first final since then and a chance for them to end a nearly-man tag. It was Mikel Arteta the apprentice up against Pep Guardiola the master. Experience versus exuberance.

Arsenal scampered out of the traps with the abandon of a child running their first Parkrun: full of energy and spirit but with little care for the long game.

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The Gunners had by far the better of the first half hour and James Trafford was called upon to make a stunning triple save inside the first 10 minutes. City were second best but held firm, withstood the early onslaught and grew into the game. The Blues had spells in the final 15 minutes of the first half and after the break they dominated.

Arsenal couldn't get out, they couldn't stem the tide as wave after wave of blue-shirted attacks poured forward. The pressure didn't initially lead to any clear chances but the Gunners were creaking and Kepa Arrizabalaga blinked first. The Spaniard fumbled a reasonably routine cross from Rayan Cherki and Nico O'Reilly showed desire and determination to pounce.

City and O'Reilly were not done there. They had the Gunners wobbling and went for the jugular. They worked space as sometimes only they can and released Matheus Nunes down the right. He showed calmness and composure to pick out a delivery and his clipped cross was headed back across goal and into the net by O'Reilly. Two goals in a matter of minutes for the hometown hero with the Manchester area code tattooed on his arm.

City weren't perfect but they had played it perfectly. Arsenal hit post and bar as they chased a way back into the game but the Blues were largely in control.

As time ticked down the Arsenal fans began to drift off into the night. City's players and supporters celebrated long into it.

There's life in the old dog yet.