The local boy, with a Manchester postcode on his arm, keeps Pep Guardiola’s fire burning strong. Ending Arsenal’s quadruple dreams as quickly as they had become a realistic possibility.
Nico O’Reilly is another of Guardiola’s inventions – an attacking player deployed as a full-back. He has played in six positions this season alone, but a goalscorer he is not.
The most unlikely of O’Reilly braces was a result of a devastating second-half Manchester City display that not even one of the best defensive units in Premier League history could contain.
Arsenal still have so much to play for this term, so will not be too downbeat at losing a Carabao Cup final. What is most concerning is who they lost to, and the galvanising effect it could have on a team that has made long winning streaks their calling card down the years.
Just as it did in the Bernabeu a few weeks ago, Guardiola’s 4-2-4 system left City too open in the opening exchanges.
A stunning triple save from James Trafford – getting his chance in the Carabao Cup again – kept the Gunners at bay early, after a move that sliced right through the centre of the vulnerable City rearguard.
Arsenal, however, failed to pick that final pass for the remainder of the opening period. The only threat coming, of course, from set plays. “Boring, boring Arsenal” boomed down from the City end at Wembley. In the first half, Jeremy Doku, who was hardly a huge threat, completed three dribbles alone, two more than the entire Arsenal side.
Erling Haaland, without a career goal in a final, headed City’s best first-half chance over. Slowly but surely Guardiola’s side grasped how this attritional encounter would be won – by throwing caution to the win
Without Ruben Dias at centre-back, City came out for the second half with a mentality akin to the great Brazilian teams of yesteryear – the best form of defence is to attack, constantly.
For 20 minutes after the break, it was all City, with wave after wave of blue endeavour proving too much for even Arsenal’s near-impenetrable defensive force.
The major surprise was the identity of that matchwinner. A day after becoming legally able to drink in the United States, two headers from a left-back halted Arsenal in their quadruple-hunting tracks.
It was somewhat churlish to think Kepa Arrizabalaga, in the Arsenal goal, was not going to have a major say in the outcome. The man who famously refused to be substituted by Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri in 2019, took his life into his own hands when bringing Doku down outside the penalty area, receiving a yellow card.
Not done there, Kepa let Rayan Cherki’s cross, and Arsenal’s quadruple hopes, slip through his fingers, on the hour mark, O’Reilly on hand to set the ball rolling.
Less than four minutes later, the Mancunian was on hand again to put the encounter to bed, this time from a Matheus Nunes pickout.
Somewhat uncharacteristically, Guardiola charged down the touchline to celebrate, like a mechanical hare around a greyhound track. That flame still burning on his 22nd visit to Wembley. Jurgen Klopp has the next highest number of appearances in that time, at five.
Arsenal struck the woodwork twice as they chased a way back into the match – Riccardo Calafiori flicking the base of the post and Gabriel Jesus heading against the crossbar.
The league leaders, however, got what they deserved. Don’t write this City team off on other fronts, too.
