Nico O'Reilly double decides EFL Cup final in Guardiola's favour

Nico O'Reilly scored twice as Manchester City beat Premier League title rivals Arsenal 2-0 in Sunday's EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

The first-ever EFL Cup final to feature the teams sat first and second in the top-flight table was a slow burner, with the first half featuring just three shots on target – all from Arsenal.

But the Gunners capitulated around the hour mark, with a huge error from cup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga allowing O'Reilly – who celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday – to score the first of two headed goals in four minutes. 

City were relatively comfortable from then on as Pep Guardiola became the first-ever manager to lift the EFL Cup on five occasions, while Mikel Arteta's wait for a first major trophy win since the 2020 FA Cup goes on.

Arsenal started on the front foot, but James Trafford – who was selected ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma after starting all of City's games en route to the final – made a triple save to keep out Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka in the seventh minute.

A superb cross from Antoine Semenyo proved just too high for Erling Haaland as City started to find their feet, though Nathan Ake had to make a good recovery challenge after almost allowing Arsenal in at the other end.

City did not register a shot on target in the first half, though they might have gone ahead when Haaland nodded over from close range in the 45th minute, following more excellent work from Semenyo on the right flank.

A misjudgement from Kepa almost allowed Jeremy Doku in at the start of the second half, then another huge error from the Spaniard – who spilled Rayan Cherki's cross on the hour – allowed O'Reilly to nod home from almost directly beneath the crossbar. 

And O'Reilly had another headed goal shortly afterwards, redirecting a hanging cross from Matheus Nunes back across Kepa and into the top-right corner. 

Arsenal struck the woodwork twice at 2-0 down, with Riccardo Calafiori's drive clipping the far post and Gabriel Jesus' header bouncing off the top of the crossbar, but City held on for a deserved victory. 

Timid Arsenal suffer psychological blow 

The EFL Cup was never Arsenal's main priority this season, with the Gunners leading the Premier League table by nine points and being seen as one of the favourites to win the Champions League.

But this final represented an opportunity to strike another psychological blow against their stuttering rivals, and to silence some doubters after nearly six years without a major trophy.

Instead, their wait for silverware goes on and their quadruple dreams are over, with Arteta failing to become the first Arsenal manager to win his first two major finals at the helm (after the 2020 FA Cup against Chelsea).

Following a bright first 10 minutes, Arsenal went into their shell. The Gunners' 122 successful passes before the break were their fewest in the first half of any game since last season's Champions League semi-final first leg versus Paris Saint-Germain (121).

But Arteta's side at least had control over City's attacks in the first period. That changed after the interval, though, as Arsenal's possession share dropped from 39.2% to 37.3% and City began to ramp up the pressure.

Having won the expected goals (xG) battle by 0.47 to 0.33 in the first half, Arsenal were beaten comprehensively by the same metric in the second half, 1.27 to 0.17. 

Arsenal remain in contention on three fronts, but this defeat will do little to quieten suggestions they need to be bolder in the biggest matches. 

O'Reilly celebrates in style 

Guardiola was on the verge of history at Wembley, as he looked to surpass Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho to become the most successful manager in EFL Cup history.

And though his team took a while to get going, he accomplished that feat with the help of an unlikely hero in O'Reilly.

The City youngster has now scored a brace in two of his last six appearances in all competitions (also versus Newcastle United in the Premier League), having only done so once in his first 59 senior outings at club level.

And, at 21 years and one day old, O'Reilly is the third-youngest player to score twice in an EFL Cup final, after Wayne Rooney in 2006 (20 years, 125 days for Manchester United) and Ronnie Whelan in 1982 (20 years, 169 days for Liverpool).

He also became the youngest goalscorer in an EFL Cup final since Joe Mason struck against Liverpool for Cardiff City in 2012 (20 years, 289 days), and the second youngest in City's history, after Peter Barnes in 1976 (18 years, 263 days).

City have now won nine of their 10 EFL Cup finals, including each of their last eight in a row since losing to Wolves in 1974, and Guardiola will hope this triumph can be a springboard for more success before the end of the season.