Arteta: EFL Cup final going to be one of the defining moments of the season
Mikel Arteta believes the EFL Cup final will be “one of the defining moments” of the season as Arsenal take on Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal booked their place in the showpiece with a victory over Chelsea in the semi-finals, while City got the better of Newcastle United over two legs.
Arsenal are looking to win the EFL Cup for the third time, after 1987 and 1993. However, the Gunners have lost more finals than any other side (six), most recently in 2018 against City.
With current Premier League leaders Arsenal taking on second-placed City, this is the first EFL Cup final in history played between the top two teams in the country.
Arteta’s side are also in the last eight of both the Champions League and FA Cup, with Arsenal still eyeing a potential quadruple in 2025-26.
The Spaniard sees Arsenal’s first chance to win silverware since 2020 as a crucial point in this campaign.
“It’s going to be one of the defining moments because at the end of the day it is about whether you win the trophy or not,” said Arteta.
“That is the most important thing once you get to the finals, 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.”
This is just Arteta’s second major final in charge, previously winning the FA Cup in 2019-20. No Arsenal manager has ever won both of their first two with the club.
The Gunners invested heavily in their squad last summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, and Arteta has urged all of his players to step up against City.
“All of our players have to perform daily at this level,” added the Arsenal boss.
“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 is when we need players to step up and make a difference, that is clear.”
