Arteta Stands By Kepa Decision Despite Costly Carabao Cup Final Mistake
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has staunchly defended his controversial decision to select goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for the Carabao Cup final, insisting it would have been "very unfair" to drop the Spaniard despite his critical error that helped Manchester City secure a 2-0 victory at Wembley.
The Goalkeeping Dilemma
First-choice goalkeeper David Raya, who boasts the most clean sheets in the Premier League this season, was left on the bench as his deputy Arrizabalaga started the final. The summer signing from Chelsea had played throughout Arsenal's entire Carabao Cup campaign, a factor Arteta emphasized heavily in his post-match justification.
The decision proved costly when Arrizabalaga spilled Rayan Cherki's cross in the 67th minute, allowing Nico O'Reilly to pounce and open the scoring for Manchester City. The error proved decisive in a match that extended Arsenal's major trophy drought, with the club not having won silverware since 2020.
Arteta's Unwavering Defense
"I understand the criticism, but I have to do what I feel is right, which is honest and which is fair," Arteta stated emphatically. "We had an understanding with Kepa - he's played all the competition and I think it would have been very, very unfair for him and for the team to do something different."
The Arsenal boss denied having guaranteed Arrizabalaga domestic cup appearances when he joined from Chelsea, instead emphasizing that the 31-year-old had earned his place through performance. "I can never promise a player to play certain competitions because at the end they have to earn it," Arteta explained. "We are guided by what we've seen and what he's done in the competition, and he helped us to go all the way through here."
Arteta acknowledged the unfortunate timing of the error, adding: "I believe it's the right thing to do and that's it. Errors are part of football and today it happened unfortunately in a crucial moment."
Disappointment and Determination
The defeat left a "bad taste" for Arsenal according to their manager, who struggled to process his disappointment after the match. "I'm very sad. It's a very hard one to take, especially for our players and our supporters," Arteta admitted. "We know how much it means to them and how much we want it, and the fact that we haven't managed to deliver that obviously is disappointing and sad."
Despite the setback, Premier League leaders Arsenal still have a potential treble to play for this season, and Arteta believes the disappointment will fuel their remaining campaign. "What this team has done in the last eight months has been incredible," he said. "We're going to use this disappointment and this fire in the belly to have the most amazing two months that we have ever had together."
Injury Concerns
In additional team news, Eberechi Eze was ruled out of the final with a calf problem and will undergo a scan later this week. Arteta has confirmed the midfielder will not feature in the upcoming England squad to face Uruguay and Japan, adding to Arsenal's concerns as they navigate multiple competitions simultaneously.
