Arsenal see off Chelsea to leave the Carabao Cup final within 90 minutes but have been warned they could end the season without a trophy
Mikel Arteta is well placed to lead Arsenal to multiple honors this season (Image: )
It has been said that Arsenal could end the season without a silver medal again and must avoid defeat if they face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
The Gunners defeated Chelsea 3-2 in the first leg of the semi-final at Stamford Bridge, securing pole position and a place in the final. City beat Newcastle at St James’ Park the night before, making a final between Guardiola and Mikel Arteta even more likely.
The two are also in contention for the Premier League title, with Arsenal currently leading by six points. The north Londoners have not won a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup but need to prove they can get over the line.
Troy Deeney claims losing to City in the Carabao Cup final could be “heart-breaking” and could have a negative impact on his title race.
He told CBS: “You could argue they can’t win anything. What could happen is that Man City win the Carabao Cup and their spirits are crushed. I just heard William Saliba talking about his pockets being empty, so they’re clearly trying to win something.”
read more: Victor Gokeres and 5 other players rate the Arsenal players who made an impression on Chelsea’s victoryread more: Chelsea give instant verdict to Arsenal’s ‘offside’ goal in Carabao Cup semi-final
“Can they play in the FA Cup? Of course they can, because they are focused on the Champions League. If they start losing games or lose Declan Rice to injury, they could lose the title.”
Arsenal have finished second in each of the past three years. It was City who chased them down in 2023 and 2024, leading them to the title in the final weeks of the campaign. Despite significant progress, there remains huge pressure on Arteta and his team to get over the final hurdle, especially given the huge investment being made into the squad.
Troy Deeney explains why he thinks Arsenal can progress without a trophy (Image: CBS Sports)
Arsenal are at the top of the Champions League, holding off the likes of Bayern Munich without a loss and reaching the semi-finals last season. They are well on their way to the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend and Arteta was pleased that the win against the Blues maintained the momentum.
“It’s been really good, because it’s a really tough place to come to,” he said. “They’re a top side and when you watch them live it’s impressive to see them open up in an instant with the quality they have, the quality they have. That’s why I really appreciate what the team has done again.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
