The first trophy of the 2017-18 season for English clubs is up for grabs tonight. Manchester City takes on Arsenal at the Wembley stadium in the final of the League Cup (also called the Carabao Cup).
It will be City coach Pep Guardiola's first and best chance to win a trophy since his arrival on English shores in 2016. City is already cruising its way to the Premier League title, but after lowly Wigan sent them crashing out of the FA Cup, in the fifth round last week, the Cityzens will be keen to make amends in this cup final.
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But, it could prove to be a tall order for City, with an unpredictable Arsenal vying for respite, as well. The Gunners lost the second leg of its Europa League Round of 32 clash to Ostersund, in the midweek, though it made it to the next round of the continental cup on aggregate. Then came news that it will be playing AC Milan next.
Which means that Sunday's final offers a slim hope of winning at least one more trophy this campaign, after winning the season-opening one-off Community Shield match against Chelsea.
Arsenal seemed like a rejuvenated side after the winter transfer window, securing the services of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but has carried over its blow-hot blow-cold form from the first half of the season.
Mkhitaryan, though, is not eligible for the match, having appeared for Man United in the earlier rounds. Leroy Sane, who has been in destructive form this season but missed the last month out on injury, could make a return to the side.
When the two teams met in the league in November, City ran away with a comfortable 3-1 victory, and after this cup final, they will cross swords once again, in the league, on Friday.
Guardiola is doing everything in his capacity to win as many trophies he can this season, and still has a chance to win three. Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, is yet again fighting to keep his job, and this could be his last hope.
Probable lineups
Manchester City: Claudio Bravo, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Otamendi, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero
Arsenal: David Ospina, Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Aubameyang
The match will be broadcast live on MTV, MTV HD, Vh1 and Vh1 HD at 10.00 pm IST.