Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has criticised Mikel Arteta for what he described as a costly decision in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Carragher pointed to Arteta’s decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of first-choice goalkeeper David Raya as a major tactical error, arguing that a final of such importance required Arsenal’s strongest possible lineup.
“It was a significant mistake to start Kepa over Raya in a final of this magnitude,” Carragher said.
“When a club has gone so long without a trophy, you must play your strongest team.”
The decision proved costly during the match, as Kepa struggled to command his area and failed to deal with a crucial cross that led to one of City’s goals.
“Finals are not for experiments , they are for results,” Carragher added, stressing that team selection played a decisive role in the outcome.
Arsenal were unable to recover, with Manchester City converting both of their shots on target to seal a comfortable victory.
Despite the backlash, Arteta defended his selection, insisting it was a justified call based on merit.
“It was only fair to reward Kepa for his performances in the competition,” Arteta explained.
“He played every round leading up to the final.”
However, the absence of Raya who has been in outstanding form this season and leads the Premier League in clean sheets raised further questions about Arsenal’s approach in such a high-stakes fixture.
The defeat extends Arsenal’s wait for a major trophy, while Manchester City continue to assert their dominance in domestic competitions.
