Verdict: Arsenal win

Best Odds: 4/3

Bookmaker: Dachbet

With this season’s EFL Cup crown up for grabs on Sunday afternoon, all eyes will fall on Wembley when Arsenal and Manchester City meet.

Arsenal

Starting with Arsenal, while the Gunners might have been forced to settle for another silver medal finish among England’s elite last season as they signed off the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles, Mikel Arteta’s high-flying squad have shattered a string of records this time around. Leading the chase at the top of the Premier League table and pencilled in as a runaway favourite to get their hands on a first domestic crown since way back in 2004, Arsenal can also complete an iconic quadruple-winning campaign. Extending on their Champions League adventure earlier in the week as they secured a 3-1 aggregate victory against Bayer Leverkusen, Arteta’s squad have received a fearsome reputation from across the continent and they will be looking to make another heavyweight statement when they travel to Wembley this weekend.

Arsenal Team News

Undergoing surgery back in January, Arsenal have confirmed that Spanish international Mikel Merino is set to miss the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign. Likewise, dealing with yet another injury setback last month, skipper Martin Odegaard remains a doubt on Sunday afternoon.

Notching 16 goals across all competitions since arriving from Sporting Lisbon last summer, leading marksman Viktor Gyokeres will spearhead Arsenal’s attack. Widely regarded as the standout contender to claim this season’s PFA Player of the Year award, England international Declan Rice will start in the middle of the park.

Manchester City

As for the visitors, watching their respective Champions League adventure come to an end earlier in the week as they slumped to a 5-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, Manchester City find themselves at the heart of what has become an extended rut. With their Premier League title dreams now hanging by a thread, Pep Guardiola has made his frustrations abundantly clear. Dropping points against fellow relegation scrappers West Ham and Nottingham Forest respectively over the past few weeks, the Sky Blues have now recorded just a single win from any of their previous five appearances across all competitions. Enduring what has become their most worrying wobble since opening the New Year, Man City travel to the English capital this weekend pencilled in as a real underdog contender.

Manchester City Team News

Undergoing surgery on a leg fracture over the festive period, Manchester City will travel to Wembley this weekend without Croatian international Josko Gvardiol. Likewise, January recruit and fellow defensive ace Marc Guehi is ineligible to feature this weekend and will watch from the sidelines.

Bagging a consolation strike against Real Madrid earlier in the week and drawing a line under his four-match goalless blip, attacking talisman Erling Haaland will play a leading role in the final third. Despite his European red card in midweek, Portuguese international Bernardo Silva is free to feature here.

Arsenal Manchester City Key Factors to Consider

• When Arsenal and Manchester City last met back on September 21st, Sunday’s opponents played out a 1-1 stalemate at the Emirates.
• Arsenal have suffered just a single defeat across any competition since the start of December.
• Manchester City have recorded just a single win from any of their previous five appearances across all competitions.
• The Sky Blues have also registered just a sole clean sheet from any of their last seven outings across all fronts.
• The last three meetings between Arsenal and Manchester City have produced 12 goals at both ends of the pitch.

Conclusion

Crashing out of the Champions League in midweek and enduring what has become a worrying rut, Manchester City look set for what is another monumental challenge here. Travelling to the English capital with just a single win from any of their previous five appearances across all competitions, their bitter domestic foes will be confident of getting their hands on a first piece of silverware of the season this weekend. Watching Arsenal look to take another giant leap towards an iconic quadruple-winning campaign, we are backing a victory for Arteta’s high-flying squad on Sunday afternoon.

Verdict: Arsenal win

Best Odds: 4/3

Bookmaker: Dachbet