Did Arteta being sentimental cost Arsenal in the final?

The smallest details can decide a game, and the decision to start Kepa on Sunday played a huge part in Arsenal losing the League Cup.

Not all Gooners are being wise after the event. Many spent the build-up to this weekend’s Final pleading for our manager to give himself the best possible chance of ending a six-year trophy drought.

Selection Decisions and Consequences

It is not just that Kepa has long proved, since moving to England, that he is not good enough to start at this level. It is that David Raya has been one of the Gunners of the season. How many times has the Spaniard not had a lot to do and then suddenly produced a world-class save to help this team close out a narrow victory?

It was always going to be tight at Wembley, where we were going to let Man City have possession and invite them to try and break us down. After an hour, yes, our opponents were on top, but had they really tested our keeper?

Their goal arrived because our goalkeeper dropped a cross that should have been routine to deal with. Moments before, he had been booked for charging out of his area and tangling with Doku.

Fairness vs Winning

Mikel Arteta has since clarified that zero promises were made to the 31-year-old that he would be the ‘cup keeper’ for every round, but his manager felt it was the fair choice to make.

While morally decent, that should not be prioritised over giving the club the best possible opportunity to win silverware. That is his job, something he is paid a great deal of money to do. Kepa equally earns a strong living as the number two goalkeeper at the Emirates. He knew that was the scenario when he agreed to move across London. If that is an issue for him, then why agree to be someone’s understudy?

The history books will say Man City beat us in the 2026 League Cup Final. They will not say, but at least Kepa was treated fairly.

If this now impacts the title race, it could be a sackable offence.