Where Do Arsenal Go From Here?
Boyhood Manchester City fan Nico O'Reilly's brace assisted his side conquered 9-4 odds to upset quadruple-chasing Arsenal in Sunday's EFL Cup last at Wembley, with the Citizens' 2-0 win offering Pep Guardiola a fifth triumph to make him the most effective manager in the tournament's history.
The Gunners, who are top of the Premier League and into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, started the video game as 4-6 shots to lift the prize and 14-1 opportunities to finish the quadruple however their tendency to bottle the huge minutes came forward as Wembley experts City dominated.
Bet365 now make Arsenal 8-1 to complete the treble and 11-1 to end the season without any trophies. They are an even-money cost to end up the project with 2 pieces of silverware and 6-4 to land only one.
EFL Cup evaluation
The video game started relatively frantically with Arsenal requiring a triple save out of James Trafford, chosen to Gianluigi Donnarumma by Guardiola, but things soon fizzled out as the 2 sides took a cautious technique, each trading spells of belongings without truly developing anything of note.
Arsenal's own back-up goalkeeper, Kepa, escaped with only a yellow card after pulling Jeremy Doku back after misjudging a long ball in the second half's first substantial occasion but he was not so fortunate when next forced into action.
It was a big call from Arteta to stick to Kepa, offered he infamously declined to be substituted before putting in a stunning efficiency in Chelsea's penalty-shootout defeat to City in the 2019 EFL Cup last and also missed the essential spot-kick in the 2022 masterpiece versus Liverpool, but he might be regretting it now.
The Spaniard flapped at Rayan Cherki's tame cross to enable young midfielder O'Reilly to tap home the opener in the 60th minute, an error which has cost Arsenal their chance at an unmatched quadruple.
Kepa might do absolutely nothing about O'Reilly's second, however, as the 20-year-old's skillfully placed header sailed into the far corner to double City's lead, make Guardiola a yellow card after a joyous sprint down the touchline and see him end up being the third-youngest player to score an last brace.
Arsenal brough on the likes of Noni Madueke and Riccardo Calafiori to claw their method back into the video game but Guardiola managed the event completely, with City managing the video game to show that he still holds the edge over his previous apprentice Arteta.
Latest Manchester City chances after Wembley victory
City will be hoping that their EFL Cup accomplishment will be the springboard to get their Premier League title charge back on track. They are 9 points behind the Gunners at existing however they have a video game in hand and also host their title competitors at the Etihad on April 19.
The Citizens are 13-10 with bet365 to win that possibly crucial match - that looks excellent worth given their dominant display at Wembley - while they are 6-1 to pip 1-10 Arsenal to the Premier League title
Guardiola's side run out the Champions League after a 5-1 aggregate loss to Real Madrid but they are 3-1 second-favourites for the FA Cup, simply behind 7-4 Arsenal. They need to overcome a tricky quarter-final clash with Liverpool if they are to lift a second domestic trophy of the season, though.
Where do Arsenal go from here?
Arsenal have been roughly brandished bottlers sometimes over the past few seasons but given their short odds to lift the EFL Cup, that tag was justified on Sunday.
Arteta's team just didn't show up when it mattered most, as City's big-game experience showed the difference in a cagey final, and that might have the more downhearted Gunners fans fearing the worst might take place in the Premier League.
A nine-point lead over City seems substantial but it might quickly vaporize and certainly will if they put in more nervy performances over the last 7 video games of the Premier League season.
Viktor Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard all put in ghost-like performances in the EFL Cup final and you need to question whether Arsenal have the leaders and aggressors to hold their nerve in a title race which is far from over.
Premier League title betting
Odds from bet365 - right at time of publishing