Arsenal vs Man City Starting XI: ARS vs MCI Carabao Cup Final Lineups Revealed as Five Players Certain to Miss Out

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The Arsenal vs Manchester City clash on March 22, 2026, stands as one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season, the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

With both clubs chasing silverware and a psychological edge in the Premier League title race, this matchup pits Mikel Arteta's resurgent Gunners against Pep Guardiola's perennial champions.

Arsenal enter the final in formidable form. Leading the Premier League table with 70 points from 31 matches, the Gunners have shown defensive solidity and attacking flair. Their recent head-to-head dominance over City is striking: Arsenal remain unbeaten in their last six encounters across all competitions, including draws and narrow victories. This psychological advantage, combined with an undefeated run in recent matches, makes them slight favourites.

Arteta's side boasts a balanced squad featuring key players like Declan Rice in midfield, William Saliba anchoring the defense, and dynamic forwards capable of exploiting transitions.

Manchester City, sitting second with 61 points from 30 games, remain a formidable force. Despite a slight dip in consistency, their attacking output, led by Erling Haaland's lethal finishing, remains elite.

City's possession-based style and depth allow them to control games, but recent results against Arsenal suggest vulnerability in high-stakes meetings. Guardiola's men have struggled to break down Arteta's organized setup, often relying on moments of brilliance rather than dominance.

Arsenal vs Man City: 5 Players Certain to Miss Out

Arsenal

Arsenal don't have Mikel Merino, who is out with a broken foot, while Martin Odegaard remains a huge doubt as well for the Gunners. On the other hand, David Raya will be on the bench as Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to start for the final. Jurrien Timber had a knock and might start from the bench.

Manchester City

For Pep Guardiola's Man City, Ruben Dias is the latest sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Josko Gvardiol is out for the season. Similarly, they won't have Marc Guehi as well who is out of the final after being Cup tied with Crystal Palace.

Arsenal vs Man City Predicted Starting XI

Arsenal: Kepa; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli; Viktor Gyokeres

Man City: James Trafford; Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones, Rayan Ait Nouri; Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Nico O'Reilly; Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo