Arsenal and Manchester City will both face significant selection challenges for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley, with each missing key defensive players through injury.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that midfielder Eberechi Eze and defender Jurrien Timber are unavailable for the showpiece clash. Neither player has recovered from knocks sustained in recent fixtures; Eze was injured against Bayer Leverkusen, while Timber picked up his issue during the victory over Everton. Their absence necessitates changes to the starting XI, with Ben White and Kai Havertz included in Arteta’s initial lineup to fill the vacancies.
The void left by Timber, in particular, alters Arsenal’s defensive partnership, with White now expected to start at centre-back. Havertz’s inclusion provides additional midfield flexibility. The Gunners will be keen to overcome these setbacks as they seek their first Carabao Cup triumph since 2017, having finished as runners-up to City in the 2018 final.
Meanwhile, Manchester City will be without established centre-back Ruben Dias, who suffered a hamstring problem in the build-up to the final. Manager Pep Guardiola has responded by pairing Nathan Ake with young Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov in central defence. This combination represents a departure from City’s usual first-choice pairing, placing greater emphasis on the experience of Ake and the potential of the 20-year-old Khusanov.
Both teams’ preparations have been shaped by these late fitness concerns, adding a layer of tactical uncertainty to the final. The match, a repeat of the 2018 decider, sees reigning Premier League champions City aiming for a third successive Carabao Cup title, while Arsenal pursue their first piece of silverware under Arteta.
Coaches and players will undergo final assessments ahead of kick-off, with the official team sheets set to confirm the full extent of the alterations. The outcome may hinge on how effectively both sides adapt to these enforced changes in such a high-stakes encounter.
