Can Man City use EFL Cup final win to catch Arsenal in title race?

Football writer Sam Cunningham picks out the key points from the EFL Cup final and discusses how significant Manchester City's 2-0 win over Arsenal could prove to be in the Premier League title race.

What a moment for Nico O’Reilly. A day after his 21st birthday, the boyhood Blue who joined Manchester City at the age of eight scored twice in four minutes to unpick a knotty EFL Cup final and end Arsenal’s hopes of winning a historic quadruple.

In 66 League Cup finals, this was the first time the country’s top two teams contested the trophy and although Man City trail Arsenal by nine points in the Premier League, this result will, at least, give them a major boost heading into the final stretch.

O’Reilly, from a family of lifelong Man City fans, had them all in the Wembley stands to watch him shine. He admitted he felt “disbelief” at what had unfolded. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to win a final,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s a great birthday weekend. Now we need to build on it – it will give us good momentum.”

The game had been a battle of attrition with few clear chances until O’Reilly burst into the box on the hour. Rayan Cherki’s cross was spilled by Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Arsenal goalkeeper, and O’Reilly reacted quickest to stoop and nod in from close range.

Four minutes later the left-back effectively settled the game with his second touch in Arsenal’s box – this time cushioning a header beyond Kepa to cap a sensational spell completely at odds with the first half.

In doing so, O’Reilly became the third-youngest player to score twice in the League Cup final, behind Wayne Rooney (20 years and 125 days) for Manchester United in 2006 and Ronnie Whelan (20 years and 169 days) for Liverpool in 1982.

Once a free-scoring, creative central attacking midfielder in City’s youth teams, he has worked his way into Guardiola’s senior side at full-back, becoming one of Man City’s key players this season.

"Maybe he was the signing of the season,” Pep Guardiola said to Sky Sports, alluding to O'Reilly's positional change. “When we started the season we had a long conversation with him. He started to play at left-back and impressed a lot.”

“Since I played in midfield I was always arriving in the box and scoring goals,” O’Reilly said.

The victory made Guardiola the first manager to win five EFL Cup trophies – leaving behind Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Nigel Clough on four. For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, it was a first defeat at Wembley in his entire career as both player and manager.

How things could have been different had James Trafford – who at 23 years and 163 days became the youngest goalkeeper to start a League Cup final at Wembley since Nottingham Forest’s Chris Woods in 1978 – not made a phenomenal triple save in the seventh minute to keep Man City level.

When Kai Havertz was slipped in, Trafford rushed out and opened his body to block, then reacted sharply to Bukayo Saka’s two follow-ups. They were the only three shots on target in the half – all within seven seconds.

Man City had their share of possession but created little. Their first meaningful chance came in the 45th minute when Antoine Semenyo burst to the byline and stood up a cross for Erling Haaland, who headed over – his first touch in Arsenal’s box.

It was a 10th goalless final for the Man City striker, who has not scored in one since netting for Borussia Dortmund in the 2021 German Cup final, but ultimately it mattered little.

Will EFL Cup final win be a springboard for Man City?

Man City lifting the first trophy of the season adds a new dimension to the title race. Arsenal have been the dominant side so far, but this win gives Guardiola’s side renewed belief.

All eyes now turn to their Premier League meeting on 19 April. Arsenal travel to the Etihad Stadium knowing victory would all but guarantee them the title, while defeat would hand Man City a glimmer of hope and set up a nervy final five league games.

While no game is easy in the Premier League, Arteta will be encouraged by Arsenal’s remaining fixtures: AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Fulham, West Ham United, Burnley, Crystal Palace – two clubs in the bottom three and four in the bottom half.

“We have to prepare now and use that fire in the belly to have two incredible months at the end of the season,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

Arsenal's upcoming fixtures and recent results

Man City, meanwhile, still face tricky tests against Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Everton and Bournemouth.

Man City's upcoming fixtures and recent results

But how will the Champions League affect Arsenal’s preparations? With Man City knocked out by Real Madrid, they play only two games – Liverpool in the FA Cup and Chelsea in the league – before the table-topping clash. Arsenal play four, including both legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon.

The title is tipping Arsenal’s way – but there is still a long road ahead.