Arsene Wenger issues warning to Man City ahead of EFL Cup final

Arsene Wenger admitted to a sense of “unfinished business” with the Carabao Cup after Arsenal reached next month’s final at Wembley with a 2-1 defeat of Chelsea.

In their first fixture since the confirmation of Alexis Sanchez’s transfer to Manchester United, Arsenal impressed in securing victory at The Emirates through an own goal from Antonio Rudiger and Granit Xhaka’s finish after Eden Hazard had given Chelsea the lead.

They will contest the final against Manchester City on February 25, having last reached it in 2011, when a late defensive blunder gifted Birmingham an unexpected 2-1 victory in one of the most damaging defeats of Wenger’s managerial reign.

In 2007 they also lost 2-1 to Chelsea having taken an early lead at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, and discussing one of the trophies that has so far eluded him in England, Wenger said: “It’s unfinished business, because we didn’t win.”

Coming up against the Gunners this time will be Pep Guardiola’s dominant Manchester City side and handing them a warning that Arsenal are not there to make up the numbers, Wenger said: “We are again at Wembley and many times we were there, but now we are in it, we want to win it and we will play against a very strong side, so it could become a very interesting game.

“We are out of the FA Cup and so I will focus on the League Cup, and you can see that Manchester City do the same, so it is difficult to win trophies in England.

“What is important is the quality of the game (against Chelsea). We showed that we can beat big teams, no matter what competition it is, and what is important is the rest of the season.”

 

The 68-year-old had previously insisted that even reaching the final would not change the pessimistic mood around his club, but reminded of that, he responded: “I have the right sometimes to have a small sense of humour, even if I am not very talented in it.

“But that’s what I said. Somebody once told me that at Arsenal you are never more than five minutes away from a crisis. I said ‘No, three’.”

 

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