Arsenal vs. Man City is about so much more than the English League Cup final
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — When Arsenal and Manchester City lock horns in the English League Cup final on Sunday there will be more at stake than the first domestic silverware of the season. The trophy is the tangible reward. The intangibles could ripple further, especially on the Premier League title race .
With all due respect, the League Cup would have ranked at the bottom of the priority list for Arsenal and City when the season began. The Premier League and the Champions League would rank at the top and the FA Cup somewhere in between. The League Cup, however, has taken on greater significance given both finalists' rivalry in the context of the season.
The winner at Wembley Stadium could deal the loser a huge psychological blow. For Arsenal — top of the table and nine points ahead of City — there would be further confirmation of its superiority over its main title rival. That is important for a team that has appeared to have an inferiority complex when it comes to City, after losing the title twice in recent years from commanding positions.
For manager Mikel Arteta, who was once Pep Guardiola's assistant at City, it will be evidence that he can get the better of his former mentor when it comes to lifting major trophies. That is still very much in question, even in a year when Arsenal is vying for an unprecedented quadruple. Should City triumph on Sunday there is the danger that the damage to Arsenal's confidence would send its season into a tailspin.
That is the sort of psychological impact Guardiola would likely want to inflict: To sow seeds of doubt into an Arsenal team that still has to play City at Etihad Stadium. And with City having a game in hand on Arteta's team, there is the potential that the lead could be down to three points after the match in Manchester. Another intangible is momentum, which at this stage of the campaign is so crucial.