What impact could the Carabao Cup Final have on the Premier League title race?

Arsenal and Manchester City will this weekend, on paper at least, put aside their battle for the Premier League title as they go head-to-head for the season's first piece of silverware in the Carabao Cup Final. 

The Wembley showpiece might be just about one afternoon, with a League Cup prize awaiting the victors, but the ramifications of Sunday afternoon could well have a bearing on how the rest of the season goes. 

With the Gunners nine points ahead at the top of the table, the championship is well within their grasp, but could the consequences of what happens between the league's top two have a say on the destination of the title? 

Arteta to end wait 

For Arsenal, it's been too long a wait for a trophy. 

Forget all the talk of 20 years since their last Premier League win, because they've not actually lifted anything of note since the Gunners' FA Cup win in 2020.  A trophy won in Mikel Arteta's first season, which was meant to be the jumping-off point for a new era in North London. 

Yet, that new era under the Spanish boss has stumbled. There's been progression, of course, but there hasn't been triumph. For every near-title win, Arsenal have had to put up with being labelled as 'chokers', and they've not even had a sniff of a major final since that last trophy lift. 

A win on Sunday and there could be a repeat of that narrative, but only this time it's one the club could seriously fulfil. A win on Sunday not only gives them that first elusive trophy in six years, but it also shows the world they are winners - and they want to win more. 

A win over the closest rivals, the all-conquering Pep Guardiola, mentor to Arteta, shows they are ready for that new era. And, it's one that could usurp all others if the North London side go on and complete an unprecedented quadruple. 

Many have scoffed at that notion. But with a Carabao Cup in the bag, a lead in the title race, they would be favourites to go on and win the FA Cup and then the ultimate prize, their first-ever Champions League. 

So, you see, Sunday isn't just about winning the Carabao Cup, as delighted as the fans will be with the trophy, but it's about finally creating that medal-winning mentality that could be the catalyst for so, so much more this season. 

“It’s going to be a very difficult game. We’re very focused on wanting to win it, but we have to work hard to win the title." defender Piero Hincapie has said ahead of the game. 

“We’re really focused on the final, which is a very important final.Getty Images / Catherine Ivill

“We’re going to train very hard to get to the final in the best way possible and to win the title. That’s the most important thing.”

GettyImages

Never count out City 

Standing in Arsenal's way, of course, is once again Guardiola and Manchester City. Both at Wembley and in this season's title race. 

For City, they are midway through a transition. This isn't the dominating force of a team that we saw lift four championships in a row, nor is it a patch on the Centurions side, but it is a club that doesn't want to go two seasons without a trophy for the first time under Pep's charge. 

At times this campaign, they've threatened to go on one of those trademark runs where they take down all that opposes them, but each time has come a performance and a result that halts that progress. Much of that has been down to Guardiola tinkering with a team, where you get the feeling he's still not decided on what his best XI is amongst his current regeneration, while a portion has been down to the form of some of his big names. 

Erling Haaland, for example, scored 20 goals before Christmas but has only managed three since the turn of the year, while the attacking talents of Foden, Cherki and Doku have had an inconsistent campaign. 

Yet, on any given day - and in this case Sunday - City can do a City, and there's every chance Guardiola could notch up a fifth League Cup victory. 

What does a win do for their prospects for the rest of the season? It lays doubt at Arsenal's door for starters. They've already 'choked' to Man City before, and a big defeat to their rivals has the potential to derail their title charge. 

Nine points is still a considerable gap with eight to play, but the Gunners still have to go to The Eithad and with a trophy-winning momentum swing in City's favour, it could cause a knock-on effect to Arsenal's final league outings. 
 
A win for City, knowing they are to host their rivals and potentially face them in the FA Cup, too, may just give them enough of an edge, as they look to hunt down and ruin Arsenal's dreams once again. 
 Cordon Press

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