Arsenal and Manchester City lineups: James Trafford to start, Mikel Arteta dodges Kepa, David Raya question

Wembley Stadium will stage a tantalising EFL Cup final on Sunday with one goalkeeper confirmed and the other still cloaked in mystery. Pep Guardiola ended speculation by announcing that James Trafford will keep the gloves for Manchester City, while Mikel Arteta refused to reveal whether Kepa Arrizabalaga or David Raya will start for Arsenal.

Trafford, the only City player to have featured in every round of the competition, edges out Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has been Guardiola’s automatic pick in the Premier League and Champions League since early September. The 21-year-old’s retention caps a week of scrutiny after Trafford admitted in February that he “didn’t expect” to find himself relegated to cup duties following Donnarumma’s loan arrival from Paris Saint-Germain. Guardiola brushed aside the youngster’s public frustration, saying: “Players can be happy, unhappy. It is what it is. They have to be here to do the best they can do.”

Across the tunnel, Arteta offered no such certainty. Pressed repeatedly on whether Kepa, who has started every EFL Cup tie this campaign, will be preferred to summer signing David Raya, the Arsenal manager replied: “We will see how everyone is tomorrow.” When reminded that Guardiola had already settled on his keeper, Arteta smiled: “Good for him.”

The Spaniard acknowledged that rotating goalkeepers carries unique pressure. “If you talk to the goalkeeping coaches, they are very special because they are always different,” he said. “There is a lot of history about that as well that is very related to how people have made decisions in the past.”

City enter the match without fresh injuries, though Marc Guehi is cup-tied and Josko Gvardiol remains unavailable. Arsenal will check on captain Martin Odegaard and defender Jurrien Timber after Saturday’s final training session; Timber has already been named in the latest Netherlands squad.

Guardiola’s starting XI is expected to show Trafford behind a back four of Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias and Rayan Ait Nouri. Ahead of them, Rodri anchors a midfield that includes Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku, with Antoine Semeyo supporting Erling Haaland.

Arteta’s projected side lists Kepa in goal, protected by Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Piero Hincapie. Martin Zubimendi partners Declan Rice in midfield, while Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke supply Kai Havertz.

By kick-off, only one question will linger: which keeper will Arteta trust to lift Arsenal’s first silverware of the season?