Nico O’Reilly Shines as Man City Clinch Ninth Carabao Cup

Manchester City secured the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium on Sunday thanks to a stunning second-half double from 21-year-old fullback Nico O’Reilly.

The young defender emerged as an unlikely hero for Pep Guardiola’s side, who dominated large spells of the match but struggled to convert their chances in the first half. Arsenal, meanwhile, tested City’s resolve early on, with goalkeeper James Trafford producing a remarkable triple save to keep the scores level. Despite Arsenal’s attempts to capitalise on set-pieces, City’s defence held firm, and neither side managed to break the deadlock before halftime.

The breakthrough came on 60 minutes when Bernardo Silva’s cross was spilled by Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, allowing O’Reilly to head home for 1-0. Just four minutes later, the fullback was in the right place again, tapping in Matheus Nunes’ cross to double City’s advantage and spark wild celebrations from Guardiola on the touchline.

Arsenal pushed for a comeback, with Ricardo Calafiori seeing a volley crash against the base of the post, but City held firm to secure a 2-0 victory, ending a three-game winless streak.

The triumph also saw Guardiola become the first manager to lift the Carabao Cup five times, while Manchester City claimed their ninth trophy in the competition and their first since 2021.

For Arsenal, the defeat brought an end to their hopes of completing a quadruple this season, leaving them to regroup for the remainder of their campaign.