Manchester City completed the first part of what they hope will become a treble with a resounding 3-0 win against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Arsenal had started the brighter side and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked certain to open the scoring but for a miraculous recovery tackle from Kyle Walker that diverted his effort towards Claudio Bravo.
City, with a 27-point lead over Arsenal in the league table, made an uncharacteristically quiet start but they were ahead with their first clear opportunity when Sergio Aguero raced on to Claudio Bravo’s kick to lob David Ospina.
Arsenal’s good start gave way to abjection and Wenger’s men collapsed in the second half when Vincent Kompany diverted in Ilkay Gundogan’s effort before David Silva applied the icing on the cake with an empthatic finish into the bottom right hand corner.
The Gunners started in a 5-4-1 formation and looked the far fresher of the two teams after 18 minutes played.
Arsenal had a two-leg Europa League tie with Ostersunds to contend with in the build-up to the game at Wembley while City’s fixture list was congested with the FA Cup and the Gunners came out of the blocks like they intended on capitalising on their slight advantage.
And they may have down had it not been for Walker’s outstretched leg that prevented Aubameyang from putting Arsenal 1-0 up. The former Tottenham man came round the forward’s blind side to block his goal-bound effort and within moments Arsenal were ruing their golden chance. City have mesmerised the league this season with their expansive attacking play and Arsenal would have spent the bulk of their preparation focused on the likes of Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Silva.
But it was Bravo, the Chilean outcast, who crafted the first goal with a long punt up field. One of the disadvantages of playing a back-five is that defenders often don’t recognise which attacker is ‘their man’ but Mustafi will need to dig deeper to explain his part in Aguero’s opener.
The German was five yards in front of the Argentine as Bravo lofted it up field and appealed to the ref for a soft push before Aguero lifted the ball over Ospina.
City had sucker-punched Arsenal moments after the Gunners looked certain to do it themselves and it was uphill from there.
Some struggle to warm to City given the way they’ve found success but few could begrudge Kompany his crowning moment at Wembley.
The greatest defender in the club’s history has become a shadow of the player that he once was under Guardiola with injuries taking their toll.
The 31-year-old is still first choice when fit but nine Premier League appearances this term point to a colossal centre-back succumbing to the calling of time. But it’s because, rather than in spite of, these elements that made the Belgian’s goal so heartwarming.
You could see the happiness in Kompany’s face as he wheeled away in the knowledge that, not only had he won his side the game, but this could also be one of his final times with the club on a stage like this.
The game was all but over after Kompany’s goal but Silva topped off City’s win with a fine goal just after the hour mark. The Spaniard slipped Calum Chambers inside Arsenal’s box and arrowed an effort into the bottom right hand corner.
Silva, who joined City in 2010, wheeled away and celebrated by sucking his thumb – perhaps a nod to the Spaniard’s off-field situation that has blighted the second half of his campaign.
It was fitting that despite the £300m spent since Guardiola’s arrival that it was three of the old guard – the originals – that provided the moments of difference at Wembley.
With one in the bag and another almost certain in the Premier League, City will be looking at winning the treble.
Guardiola’s men are basically through to the last-8 thanks to their 4-0 aggregate lead over Basel and with Paris-Saint Germain underdogs to comeback against Retal Madrid City will be favourites to win the competition for the last time, City’s owners have made the Champions League their mission since taking over and the club have failed horribly in the last five years as they’ve adjusted to the competition.
Indeed Guardiola’s appointment was with the sole aim of winning the European Cup and they finally look ready to do so.
Sorry Arsenal
It says much about Arsenal that Bravo was doing exercises in his own box in the second half to keep warm. Barring a bright start the Gunners didn’t lay a glove on City and Guardiola’s men didn’t have to get out of first gear to win at Wembley.
Mesut Ozil was anonymous while Aubameyang was lacking in service. Mustafi and Granit Xhaka rivalled one another for the worst player on the pitch and Jack Wilshere must be wondering what he’s doing at the club after a performance that wouldn’t have looked out of place had he swapped ends. But Arsenal’s faults ran deeper than a bad performance.
There was a collective acknowledgement after Aguero’s goal that the game was over and their attitude after half-time was disgraceful.
City barely had to break a sweat to get their second and third goals and Arsenal lacked the in-game management to hold on in the second half, instead giving way to what they felt was inevitability.
METRO
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