Mikel Arteta defends his decision to select Kepa in the EFL Cup final, despite the goalkeeper’s costly mistake leading to Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City.
Arsenal’s EFL Cup final dreams were shattered as Manchester City secured a 2-0 win at Wembley, with Kepa Arrizabalaga’s blunder proving pivotal. The goalkeeper let Rayan Cherki’s cross slip through his fingers, gifting Nico O’Reilly the chance to head in City’s opener.
Mikel Arteta had opted to keep faith with Kepa, citing his regular appearances in the League Cup this season. The decision backfired, with Kepa enduring another League Cup final moment to forget, following his infamous 2019 refusal to be substituted and subsequent penalty misses.
Kepa Arrizabalaga in League Cup finals:
2019: Refused to be substituted off with the game heading to penalties
2022: Blasted his penalty over as Chelsea lost 11-10 to Liverpool on spot kicks
2026: Let the ball slip out of his hands as Nico O’Reilly gave Manchester City the lead pic.twitter.com/qvgNcpWmNz— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) March 22, 2026
Arteta defended his decision, saying, “I understand, but I have to do what is right and fair. Kepa had played all the competition, I think it would have been unfair to him and the team to do something different.”
🚨🛑 Arteta on Kepa starting instead of Raya: “I would do that AGAIN. No regrets”.
“I have to do what I think is right, honest and fair. It would have been very, very unfair on him and on the team to do something different”. pic.twitter.com/6yTBMf5OvX
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 22, 2026
The Gunners were favored to beat City but failed to rise to the occasion, sitting nine points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arteta acknowledged his team’s shortcomings, stating, “Very sad, very hard to take. We know how much it means and how much we wanted it.”
Arteta praised City’s performance, saying, “You have to give credit to the opposition. They raised their level and capitalized on their moments. We didn’t.”
The defeat leaves Arsenal without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, with their quadruple bid ending in disappointment. Arteta took responsibility, highlighting the team’s failure to deliver.
Kepa’s mistake will be remembered for a long time, but Arteta emphasized that errors are part of football. “Errors are part of football, and unfortunately, it happened today at a crucial moment.”
