Guardiola eyes more trophies after City claim Carabao Cup
Arsenal 0, Manchester City 3
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola urged his team to use the first trophy of his reign as a platform for further success this season after they claimed the Carabao Cup.
City took control at Wembley against an obliging Arsenal team through Sergio Aguero’s first-half lob and they swatted their opponents aside after the interval.
Read more: Wenger criticises error-ridden Arsenal after Wembley defeat
Captain Vincent Kompany capped a vintage performance when he turned in Ilkay Gundogan’s shot for the second goal and David Silva continued his fine season by firing the third.
Premier League leaders City showed few signs of being affected by Monday’s shock FA Cup defeat at Wigan and remain in contention for a possible treble.
“There are titles more important than this one but of course we are so happy,” said Guardiola, who paid tribute to City owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
“The first half was not good, a lot of mistakes in the simple passes. The second half we played with more courage and personality and that’s why we played much better. In the second half we were outstanding.
“It was so important to win this one, after [losing in the FA Cup]. Now we have to focus absolutely on the Premier League to try to win the games and after arrive good in the quarter-finals [of the Champions League].”
Arsenal engineered the first chance when a Jack Wilshere-led counter saw Mesut Ozil deliver a low centre towards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, only for City defender Kyle Walker to intercept.
But City took the lead on 19 minutes – Aguero capitalising on the Gunners’ failure to deal with a simple long ball and lobbing David Ospina to perfection – and were rarely ruffled thereafter.
Kompany went close with a shot that was deflected wide by Laurent Koscielny before he beat Ospina with an effort that survived a referral to the video assistant referee in the 58th minute.
City caught Arsenal napping with a corner to the edge of the box, where Gundogan rifled low through a crowd for Kompany to divert beyond the stranded Ospina.
Seven minutes later Guardiola’s men struck again. Left-back Danilo slipped a reverse ball into the inside left channel and Silva held off Calum Chambers before finding the bottom-bottom right corner.
Read more: Aguero avoids punishment over on-field altercation with fan
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