{"id":2189,"date":"2026-03-22T21:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T21:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/?p=2189"},"modified":"2026-03-22T21:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T21:54:13","slug":"jamie-redknapp-slams-mikel-arteta-for-monumental-error-in-carabao-cup-final-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/?p=2189","title":{"rendered":"Jamie Redknapp slams Mikel Arteta for ‘monumental error’ in Carabao Cup final | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-LCUP-ARSENAL-MAN\t<\/div>
Did Mikel Arteta make a mistake in his team selection? (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikel Arteta has been accused of making a \u2018monumental error\u2019 with his team selection as Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.<\/p>\n

Nico O\u2019Reilly was the hero for City as he scored both goals at Wembley in a match which Pep Guardiola\u2019s side dominated against an under-par Arsenal.<\/p>\n

The Gunners were not helped by their goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, who produced a nightmare error to hand O\u2019Reilly his opener.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard let a cross slip through his hands and the Englishman was quickest to react as he nodded the ball across the line.<\/p>\n

There was some debate over who would start in goal for Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, with David Raya the first choice \u2018keeper, but Arrizabalaga taking the role of \u2018cup goalkeeper\u2019 this season.<\/p>\n

The former Chelsea stopper has played in the League Cup and FA Cup contests this season for the Gunners, but Jamie Redknapp reckons it was a \u2018monumental error\u2019 to leave him in the side at Wembley.<\/p>\n

\u2018I know people will say it\u2019s sentiment and he played in the earlier rounds, but Kepa is not as good as Raya. That\u2019s why he is the number two,\u2019 Redknapp said on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

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\u2018So why, in a major cup final when you\u2019re trying to get across the line and you\u2019ve not won a trophy in so long, do you decide to play him? You have to take responsibility for that. That is a monumental error.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s not a bad goalkeeper \u2013 he isn\u2019t not as good as Raya. It has come back and backfired big time.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s not me being wise after the event, I said it before the game.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Kepa Arrizabalaga got two hands to the ball but could not stop it (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Manchester City also fielded their second choice goalkeeper in James Trafford, which Redknapp admitted, saying is a counter-argument, saying: \u2018You could turn round and say Trafford is not the number one either. But he didn\u2019t even get tested. Three really good saves, but after that he hardly had to touch the ball, it was easy for him.\u2019<\/p>\n

Former City defender Micah Richards pointed out that Trafford was viewed as number one before the signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma.<\/p>\n

\u2018Trafford was brought in as a number one, he was ready,\u2019 said Richards. \u2018It was just that Donnarumma came on the market. The difference between Kepa and Raya is so big, so in a big game you\u2019ve got to go with Raya.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
James Trafford made a trio of good saves early on (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arsenal legend Ian Wright admitted it was a gamble from Arteta and the goalkeeper may well have cost his former side the game.<\/p>\n

\u2018The gamble didn\u2019t pay off,\u2019 he said. It was the fashion of the mistake that makes you think \u201cthat\u2019s a No2\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s something you wouldn\u2019t see a No1 goalkeeper make and it\u2019s unfortunate because it\u2019s the turning point.<\/p>\n

\u2018If we don\u2019t concede that goal and we get the subs on, we might get into the game a bit.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\tArsenal 0-2 Man City – Metro at the Match\t\t\t<\/h2>\n

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Manchester City have secured the first silverware of the season after Arsenal failed to deliver at Wembley. <\/p>\n

The quadruple dream is over and the Gunners must now pick up the pieces after a sobering setback.<\/p>\n

For City, it has breathed life into their campaign after a dismal Champions League exit this week.<\/p>\n

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Kepa gamble backfires spectacularly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta decided to keep faith in Kepa Arrizabalaga after starting the Spaniard in each round of the competition leading up to the final at Wembley today. <\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola did likewise with James Trafford, but it was Arsenal who paid the price for dropping one of their best players. From the moment the second-half kicked off, Kepa dallied on the ball, inviting the pressure that would inevitably swarm all over the Gunners and trigger their downfall.<\/p>\n

Raya has been spectacular this season, the best goalkeeper in the Premier League by some margin and in sublime form. Had he started, Sunday may have been a very different story.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal still have plenty left to fight for (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Old Arsenal fears reignited<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have seen Arsenal collapse in the past. Past failures have so often been used as a stick to beat them with but things have felt different this season. <\/p>\n

Victory today would have gone some way in erasing the lingering fears over another derailment . But defeat at Wembley could serve as a catalyst for something much bleaker. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-LCUP-ARSENAL-MAN\t<\/div>
Arteta got his biggest decision on the day wrong (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Arsenal are still fighting on three fronts, in control of the Premier League title race and well-placed to continue marching on in Europe. But the effects of today could be season-altering. The woeful second-half showing was as bad as anything served up by them this term on the stage where they needed to be their best.<\/p>\n

O’Reilly steps up<\/strong><\/p>\n

City needed a hero at Wembley and they found a home-grown one. With Phil Foden only coming on as an injury time substitute, left-back O’Reilly stepped up as City’s savour with two headers to save their season. <\/p>\n

City were fantastic in the second period to a man and fed off Arsenal’s apprehension but it was the 21-year-old set the standard when they needed inspiration. <\/p>\n

Tony Mogan, live sports editor<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Gary Neville makes Premier League title claim after Arsenal\u2019s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Ian Wright names Arsenal player who should have started Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Why Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze miss the Carabao Cup final for Arsenal<\/span><\/p>\n
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Did Mikel Arteta make a mistake in his team selection? (Picture: Getty Images) Mikel Arteta<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/osport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}