The Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 22, will feature a clash between the Premier League’s top two teams, Arsenal and Manchester City.
A potential quadruple bid will gather momentum if Arsenal can overcome Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, as both Premier League heavyweights prepare for a blockbuster clash at Wembley Stadium on March 22.
Arsenal have been in outstanding form this season, sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier League table. Under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners will aim to carry their dominance into the final. Meanwhile, Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, are currently second, trailing Arsenal by nine points with a game in hand.
The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw in September 2025. However, Manchester City hold the upper hand in Carabao Cup encounters, having beaten Arsenal 4-1 in the 2020-21 quarter-final and 2-0 in the 2018 final.
📍 Good morning from @wembleystadium! 👋#EFL | #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/Tt8LBwynyo
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) March 22, 2026
Head-to-head record:
- Total matches: 214
- Arsenal wins: 100
- Manchester City wins: 65
- Draws: 49
Arsenal’s path to the 2026 Carabao Cup Final
Arsenal’s path to the 2026 Carabao Cup Final showed strength, focus, and key moments under pressure. They started in round three, Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal. The team played calmly against a League One side.
Eberechi Eze scored early, just eight minutes in, after connecting with Gabriel Martinelli. Leandro Trossard finished late to make it 2-0. The win pushed them past the third round.
Moments like this. pic.twitter.com/bkXarBv3QK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 22, 2026
Round Four – Arsenal 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion. Young players Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka each found the net in the second half. The result sent them into a quarter-final match with Crystal Palace. Arsenal’s run now stands at 11 games without a loss. This shows how many talents are developing through the clubs’ system. That performance proved their ability to stay strong when expectations rise.
Quarter-Final, Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (8-7 on penalties)Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped the last penalty, sending Arsenal to the semi-finals. Palace forced a shootout after an own goal in stoppage time. The Gunners stayed calm and avoided losing. That result set up a London derby against Chelsea.
Semi-Final First Leg – Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal won the first leg 3-2 with strong play. Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres, and Martin Zubimendi each scored. The team attacked from corners and kept pressing. So this gave them a solid lead going into the second match.
Semi-Final Second Leg Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea. Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg. Kai Havertz scored late in extra time. With a 4-2 aggregate score, they finished the tie. Arsenal now face Wembley to chase their first trophy since 2020. And they’ve earned a shot at winning it.
Manchester City’s path to the 2026 Carabao Cup Final
Manchester City earned their place at Wembley through a strong Carabao Cup run, showing the control, composure, and quality that have marked their recent achievements under Pep Guardiola.
On the road to Wembley 🛣️
🤝 @cpcompany_1971 pic.twitter.com/AL6Wj8LYZJ
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 22, 2026
Round Three – Huddersfield Town 0-2 Manchester City started their journey with a strong showing against League One side Huddersfield Town. Phil Foden scored first and assisted Savinho for the second. James Trafford came back into the lineup and kept a clean sheet. Even though Huddersfield had late opportunities, Citys edge in play made the win easy.
Round Four, Swansea City 1-3 Manchester City. Manchester City turned the game around to reach the quarter-finals. Gonalo Franco gave Swansea an early lead, but a deflected shot from Jeremy Doku tied it. Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki added goals in the second half to finish the comeback. The win sent City to a home match against Brentford. Quarter-Final – Manchester City 2-0 Brentford. City stayed in full control throughout the match. Rayan Cherki scored in the first half, and Savinho added a deflected goal after halftime. Brentford had chances through Kristoffer Ajer, but James Trafford made key stops. City moved forward without issue to the semi-finals. At least in theory, all these results reflect consistent team performance for now.
Quarter-Final
City controlled the tie from start to finish, with Rayan Cherki netting a first-half goal and Savinho adding a deflected strike after the break. Brentford threatened through Kristoffer Ajer, but James Trafford made key saves, allowing City to advance comfortably to the semi-finals.
Semi-Final First Leg – Newcastle United 0-2 Manchester City. At St James Park, Manchester City won the first leg by a two-goal margin. Doku sent a cross that Antoine Semenyo headed in, then Cherki scored late in the game. Newcastle had shots from Yoane Wissa and Bruno Guimares, but City kept the ball and never lost control.
Semi-Final Second Leg – Manchester City 3-1 Newcastle United. City won at the Etihad with a 3-1 score to make the total 5-1. Omar Marmoush scored two goals, and Tijjani Reijnders added one before the break. Anthony Elanga scored once for Newcastle, but City stayed strong and finished their run to the final.
Top Goal Scorers
| Rank | Name | Team | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diego Gómez | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | Alejandro Garnacho | Chelsea | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Rayan Cherki | Manchester City | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Omar Marmoush | Manchester City | 2 | 3 |
The stage is set for a high-stakes encounter as both teams look to add silverware to their impressive seasons.
