Whenever a team loses, fans often look for a player to blame or a managerial decision to question. Following Arsenal’s 2–0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, attention has turned to Mikel Arteta’s decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of David Raya.
Softfootball gathered, questions have been raised about this criticism, given that Raya himself has made mistakes during the 2025/26 season. Kepa had performed well throughout the tournament and was arguably unfortunate with the error that led to one of the conceded goals.
It is also important to recognise the role of the opposition. Pep Guardiola’s tactical approach proved decisive, particularly in the second half. He identified that Arsenal lacked players comfortable progressing the ball from deep positions under pressure.
Midfielders such as Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi were noted as not consistently receiving the ball from the goalkeeper and advancing play under pressure, something only a few elite players, like Pedri and Rodri, regularly execute at a high level.
Despite Arsenal recruiting Zubimendi for this purpose, this aspect of his game has not been consistently evident this season. Guardiola adjusted by positioning four players high against Arsenal’s defensive line, limiting passing options to defenders like Piero Hincapié and Ben White. This forced Kepa into longer clearances, often resulting in lost possession and renewed pressure from City which contributed to the opening goals.
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Arsenal’s attacking performance also fell short. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyökeres struggled to influence the game, with Gyökeres noted for limited involvement when service was lacking. Leandro Trossard also had a quiet performance.
Substitutes such as Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli entered later and may have offered more impact had they started. Concerns were also raised about reliance on set-pieces, with Saka’s performances described as inconsistent this season.
Defensively, Saka was largely contained, with his direct opponent able to operate freely and even advance into attacking positions. Overall, while individual errors played a role, the result was shaped more significantly by Manchester City’s structure and Guardiola’s tactical execution rather than one decision or player alone.
