Boyhood Manchester City fan Nico O'Reilly's brace helped his side overcome 9-4 odds to upset quadruple-chasing Arsenal in Sunday's EFL Cup final at Wembley, with the Citizens' 2-0 win providing Pep Guardiola a fifth victory to make him the most effective supervisor in the tournament's history.
The Gunners, who are leading of the Premier League and into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, began the video game as 4-6 shots to lift the prize and 14-1 possibilities to finish the quadruple but their tendency to bottle the huge minutes came to the fore as Wembley experts City dominated.
Bet365 now make Arsenal 8-1 to complete the treble and 11-1 to end the season with no trophies. They are an even-money rate to complete the campaign with two pieces of flatware and 6-4 to land only one.
EFL Cup evaluation
The video game started reasonably anxiously with Arsenal requiring a triple conserve out of James Trafford, chosen to Gianluigi Donnarumma by Guardiola, but things quickly fizzled out as the two sides took a mindful method, each trading spells of belongings without really creating anything of note.
Arsenal's own back-up goalkeeper, Kepa, left with only a yellow card after pulling Jeremy Doku back after misjudging a long ball in the second half's very first substantial event but he was not so lucky when next required into action.
It was a big call from Arteta to stick with Kepa, offered he infamously refused to be replaced before putting in a shocking performance in Chelsea's penalty-shootout defeat to City in the 2019 EFL Cup last and likewise missed out on the crucial spot-kick in the 2022 showpiece against Liverpool, but he may be regretting it now.
The Spaniard flapped at Rayan Cherki's tame cross to allow young midfielder O'Reilly to tap home the opener in the 60th minute, a mistake which has cost Arsenal their chance at an unprecedented quadruple.
Kepa might do nothing about O'Reilly's second, however, as the 20-year-old's expertly positioned header sailed into the far corner to double City's lead, earn Guardiola a yellow card after a jubilant sprint down the touchline and see him end up being the third-youngest player to score an EFL Cup last brace.
Arsenal brough on the likes of Noni Madueke and Riccardo Calafiori to claw their way back into the video game but Guardiola managed the occasion completely, with City managing the game to show that he still holds the edge over his former apprentice Arteta.
Latest Manchester City odds after Wembley victory
City will be hoping that their EFL Cup accomplishment will be the springboard to get their Premier League title charge back on track. They are nine points behind the Gunners at present however they have a video game in hand and also host their title competitors at the Etihad on April 19.
The Citizens are 13-10 with bet365 to win that potentially vital match - that looks good value given their dominant screen at Wembley - while they are 6-1 to pip 1-10 Arsenal to the Premier League title
Guardiola's side are out of the Champions League after a 5-1 aggregate loss to Real Madrid but they are 3-1 second-favourites for the FA Cup, simply behind 7-4 Arsenal. They must get rid of a difficult quarter-final clash with Liverpool if they are to lift a second domestic trophy of the season, though.
Where do Arsenal go from here?
Arsenal have been roughly displayed bottlers at times over the past few seasons but offered their brief odds to raise the EFL Cup, that tag was justified on Sunday.
Arteta's group simply didn't turn up when it mattered most, as City's big-game experience proved the difference in a cagey last, and that may have the more pessimistic Gunners fans fearing the worst might happen in the Premier League.
A nine-point lead over City seems substantial but it could quickly vaporize and certainly will if they put in more nervy efficiencies over the last seven video games of the Premier League season.
Viktor Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard all put in ghost-like efficiencies in the EFL Cup last and you need to question whether Arsenal have the leaders and assailants to hold their nerve in a title race which is far from over.
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