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Mikel Arteta drops intriguing team selection hint for Arsenal vs Man City cup final clash

✇CaughtOffside
By:Mark Brus

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has not confirmed one way or another if it will be David Raya or Kepa Arrizabalaga starting the Carabao Cup final.

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The Gunners take on Manchester City at Wembley this Sunday with the first piece of silverware of the season up for grabs, and it could also prove a crucial part of this season’s title race between these two clubs as well.

Man City manager Pep Guardiola has already confirmed he’ll be playing backup goalkeeper James Trafford against Arsenal, but Arteta simply said “we’ll see” when asked about who’ll start in goal for his side.

Raya is Arsenal’s established number one ‘keeper for the biggest games, but Kepa has been the team’s cup goalie so far this season, but it seems Arteta isn’t ruling out bringing in Raya for this hugely important match.

Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s goalkeeper to take on Manchester City

? Kepa or Raya in goal for Arsenal this weekend?

Arteta's answer…?? pic.twitter.com/ylqX4XiTxL

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) March 20, 2026

Watch below as Arteta responded to a question about Kepa vs Raya, and gave little away, though he did add that it doesn’t make a big difference as they’re both quality players with a lot of experience at the highest level…

Arsenal fans will probably be hoping Arteta doesn’t take any risks given the importance of this game, with Raya surely the safer option.

The Spanish shot-stopper has been superb during his time at the Emirates Stadium, and surely deserves the chance to start in a game that could finally see the north London giants lift their first trophy since 2020.

Then again, it’s also important to keep players happy, and it would clearly show a distinct lack of faith in Kepa if he were to be left out of this game having played all of the other Carabao Cup matches previously.

The post Mikel Arteta drops intriguing team selection hint for Arsenal vs Man City cup final clash appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Journalist provides insight into “better mood” inside Arsenal camp ahead of Carabao Cup final

✇CaughtOffside
By:Mark Brus

Arsenal are reportedly calm and in a positive mood ahead of this weekend’s Carabao Cup final clash against Manchester City.

The Gunners will arguably be the favourites to lift the trophy at Wembley this Sunday, with Mikel Arteta’s side currently top of the Premier League and into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

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By contrast, Man City have not been at their best, having dropped points in two league matches in a row to fall further behind Arsenal, while they were also knocked out of Europe by Real Madrid this week.

Speaking on YouTube, Independent journalist Miguel Delaney provided some insight into how Arsenal now seem to be in a better mood than their opponents ahead of this big game.

Arsenal calm ahead of Manchester City cup final showdown

“Arsenal are the team that are in the better mood where nothing has, as yet, gone you’d say very badly wrong they feel in a good place now as a team,” Delaney said.

“From what I’m told, the mood in the camp is one where the final is almost actually being downplayed a bit.

“There’s a calmness which marks such a contrast from you know one of the major characteristics of this season which is how every single Arsenal game or almost every single game has been ramped up.”

Only time will tell how this affects Arsenal’s performance at the weekend, but for now the club’s fans will surely be pleased to hear this positive update.

Arsenal’s recent record against Man City

For a long time Arsenal seemed to struggle in their games against City, but Arteta has done a tremendous job to turn that around in the last couple of years.

AFC are now on a run of six games unbeaten against MCFC, and that includes a victory at Wembley in the 2023 Community Shield.

City can never be ruled out, though, after all the success they’ve had under Guardiola, which also includes beating Arsenal in the League Cup final back in 2018.

The post Journalist provides insight into “better mood” inside Arsenal camp ahead of Carabao Cup final appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Report confirms Arsenal interest in signing Newcastle United duo

✇CaughtOffside
By:Mark Brus

Arsenal have an interest in both Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento of Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have been linked with the Magpies duo in the past, and now iNews seems to have confirmed the interest from Mikel Arteta’s side.

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It has previously even been claimed that Arsenal could be preparing a bid for Livramento, as per the Telegraph, while we’ve also covered Manchester City’s interest in the English full-back.

The latest from iNews is that Livramento’s future at Newcastle is in some doubt as there’s been a lack of progress over a new contract for him at St James’ Park.

Do Arsenal need Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali?

We’ve previously rated Tonali as a poor fit for Arsenal using our Transfer Fit rating system, as it’s hard to see the Italy international starting over Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi despite likely costing huge money to sign from NUFC.

Livramento, however, looks like a solid piece of business for AFC, scoring 17/25 and ticking pretty much every box…

Tino Livramento TOTAL SCORE: 17/25
Transfer fee ★★★☆☆
Performance ★★★☆☆
Achievements ★★★☆☆
Career phase ★★★★☆
Squad need ★★★★☆

Capable of playing both right-back or left-back, Livramento could be a useful option to ensure Arteta can continue to rotate his options at the back.

There could well be doubts over some Arsenal defenders this summer as well, with the likes of Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, and Myles Lewis-Skelly not playing as much as they perhaps would’ve liked this season.

Newcastle facing another worrying transfer window

It would be bad news for Newcastle, however, if they saw another summer dominated by players possibly leaving.

Alexander Isak left to join Liverpool last year and it proved hugely disruptive, so they could do without lingering doubts over other key players like Tonali and Livramento.

Arsenal will undoubtedly hope to pounce for at least one of those, but it will be interesting to see how strong Newcastle can be in the face of that interest.

The report from iNews adds that Newcastle want four new signings of their own as well this summer.

The post Report confirms Arsenal interest in signing Newcastle United duo appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen (3-1 agg): Eze scores stunner to seal Champions League progression

✇UEFA Champions League News, Results, Fixtures & Tables
By:Veselin Trajkovic

Eberechi Eze’s stunner helped Arsenal seal a 3-1 aggregate win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16, with the Gunners triumphing 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. Declan Rice added an impressive goal of his own in the second half following Eze’s opener, while both goalkeepers made brilliant saves at either end as Arsenal […]

The post Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen (3-1 agg): Eze scores stunner to seal Champions League progression appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen (3-1 agg): Eze scores stunner to seal Champions League progression appeared first on Soccer News.

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