Arsenal must 'attack trophy' in League Cup final, says Arteta

London – Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players that Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester City is the moment to “attack a trophy and bring it home” as the club seeks to end a six-year wait for silverware.

Speaking on the eve of the Wembley showdown, the Spaniard said the match represents one of the “defining moments” of a campaign in which Arsenal remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple. The Gunners sit nine points clear of City at the Premier League summit and have been handed favourable quarter-final draws in both the Champions League and FA Cup, yet Arteta conceded that the team must now prove it can deliver when it matters most.

“When it comes to the crucial moments and when it comes to the moment to attack a trophy and take it and bring it home, that’s when you need your big players to step up and make the difference,” he told reporters.

Arsenal have finished second in the league for three consecutive seasons and last lifted a trophy in 2020, when Arteta guided them to FA Cup success in an empty stadium under coronavirus restrictions. “At the end of the day it is about whether you win the trophy or not,” he added. “That is the most important thing once you get to the final. But in order to be there you have to do a lot of things. There are a lot of things the team has done so far, but we need to prove that point, that’s clear, and it has to be done on the pitch.”

Arteta, who left his role as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at City in 2019, has overseen a dramatic upturn in Arsenal’s fortunes, yet Sunday offers an opportunity to add tangible reward to the progress made. Guardiola, meanwhile, dismissed suggestions of lingering tension with his former lieutenant now that they are title rivals, and Arteta reiterated his gratitude for the education he received at the Etihad. “How I feel about him and the time we had together and what he did for me, the inspiration he’s been… that is never going to change,” Arteta said.

Team news centres on the fitness of captain Martin Odegaard and defender Jurrien Timber, both of whom sat out the 2-0 midweek victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Arteta hopes the pair will be available at Wembley. City are set to continue with James Trafford in goal after the youngster started every domestic cup fixture this season, keeping Gianluigi Donnarumma on the bench. For Arsenal, Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to retain his cup goalkeeper role ahead of David Raya, who remains first choice in the league and Europe.

With a trophy within touching distance, Arteta’s message is unequivocal: the time for near-misses is over; only victory will suffice.