Arsenal vs Manchester City. Carabao Cup Final.
Wembley StadiumAttendance85,671.
Monday 26 February 2018 09:48, UK
Manchester City strolled to a 3-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final to earn Pep Guardiola his first trophy at the club.
Premier League leaders City went ahead early on through Sergio Aguero, who lobbed David Ospina from the edge of the box after easily out-muscling Shkodran Mustafi for a long ball.
Captain Vincent Kompany made it 2-0 just before the hour mark from a well-worked City corner, and David Silva put the game beyond Arsenal's reach with a fine turn and finish inside the box, beating Ospina from an angle.
The win is City's third in five years in this competition, while Arsene Wenger's search for a League Cup trophy goes on.
Arsenal had the first big chance of the game as Mesut Ozil's square ball found Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with the goal gaping, but Kyle Walker did brilliantly to get a foot in before Claudio Bravo snuffed out the second attempt from three yards.
City's opener came after 18 minutes as Aguero nudged Mustafi away from a Claudio Bravo goal kick, before coolly lobbing Ospina from 18 yards. Arsenal players protested to referee Craig Pawson for a foul, but VAR was satisfied with the decision, with Sky Sports' Gary Neville describing the defending as "pathetic" and "shocking".
It was Aguero's 30th goal of the season in all competitions, the fourth time in seven seasons he has reached that figure.
Kompany nearly doubled City's lead after the break, seeing his low effort deflect inches wide, but the Belgian was in the right place at the right time on 58 minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne's low corner found Ilkay Gundogan on the edge of the box, helped by some more lax Arsenal defending, and the German's low shot goalwards was touched home by Kompany, leaving Ospina wrong-footed.
City continued to dominate and made it 3-0 shortly after as Silva latched onto Danilo's pass on the left of the box, before turning superbly and lashing into the bottom corner.
This was the Kompany we all know and love. In both boxes, the Belgian was superb, making a team-high five clearances and 10 possession gains, as well as getting his name on the scoresheet.
He loves City, and his celebration for the goal showed it. His influence in the dressing room this season should not be underestimated, despite not getting the playing time he desires under Guardiola.
Pep Guardiola: "It was so important to win this one after defeat in the FA Cup. Now we have to focus absolutely on the Premier League to win the games and also to arrive in the quarter-finals of the Champions League."
When asked if he feels relieved at winning his first trophy, Guardiola added: "This is for Manchester City, it's not for me."
Arsenal and Man City now face each other again on Thursday evening in the Premier League at the Emirates, live on Sky Sports Premier League.