Who needs cup final victory most - Arteta or Guardiola?
Arsenal and Manchester City's battle for domestic supremacy shifts to the Wembley stage on Sunday - but this feels like more than just another Carabao Cup final. Mikel Arteta's side currently hold sway with a nine-point lead in the Premier League and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Pep Guardiola's City were eliminated by Real Madrid in Europe's elite competition for the third time in four seasons. The two clubs are still involved in the FA Cup - but the first major final of the season offers the possibility to strike a psychological blow as the campaign enters its closing phase.
It could be the first of three meetings between the pair before the season is out, with a huge league match at Etihad Stadium in April and a potential FA Cup tie. Could a win at Wembley give either an edge in the matches to come and provide momentum for further glory? Will Champions League be Guardiola's Man City regret?
Arteta's Arsenal will be desperate to shed their tag as the side that has come up short in recent years. The Gunners and their manager are seeking a first piece of silverware since they beat Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, only nine months after he left Guardiola's side as his assistant at City to take over at Emirates Stadium. In that same period, Arteta's managerial mentor Guardiola has a trophy haul of the Champions League, four Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, as well as the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup.
Arsenal, since Arteta last tasted success, have lost in the Europa League semi-final to Villarreal in 2021, EFL Cup semi-finals in 2022 and 2025 to Liverpool and Newcastle United respectively, as well as last season's Champions League semi-final against eventual winners Paris St-Germain. The Gunners have finally broken that pattern to reach a final, but Arteta must also release Guardiola's stranglehold, having only won four of their past 16 meetings against him - including the Community Shield in 2023 - while losing nine. This suggests it is Arteta who is in urgent need of breaking the cycle of finishing empty-handed.
Former Arsenal and England defender Matt Upson told BBC Sport: "I think overall, Arteta needs it most because he has not won enough trophies in his time at Arsenal for how well they have done. "It has been a case of 'nearly but not quite' for Arteta after the seasons in which they have finished second in the Premier League. They have not quite got there, so this is a big one for Arteta.