{"id":4504,"date":"2026-03-23T12:16:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T12:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=4504"},"modified":"2026-03-23T12:16:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T12:16:26","slug":"ray-parlour-says-arsenal-star-didnt-get-a-kick-in-carabao-cup-final-loss-to-man-city-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=4504","title":{"rendered":"Ray Parlour says Arsenal star ‘didn’t get a kick’ in Carabao Cup final loss to Man City | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Bukayo Saka \u2018didn\u2019t get a kick\u2019 against Manchester City, says Arsenal legend Ray Parlour (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ray Parlour highlighted the ineffective performance of Bukayo Saka after Arsenal\u2019s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, claiming the forward \u2018didn\u2019t get a kick\u2019 at Wembley.<\/p>\n

Arsenal should have been brimming with confidence after increasing their lead over City at the top of the Premier League table to nine points ahead of Sunday\u2019s showpiece. <\/p>\n

But the Gunners were found wanting on the big stage, ultimately let down by a limp and uninspiring second-half performance as Nico O\u2019Reilly scored twice to seal a comfortable 2-0 win for City.<\/p>\n

A mistake from Kepa Arrizabalaga gifted City their opening goal on the hour mark, with the Spaniard spilling Rayan Cherki\u2019s cross through his fingers and into the path of O\u2019Reilly, who snuck in ahead of Martin Zubimendi and headed home from close range.<\/p>\n

Just four minutes later, O\u2019Reilly nodded past Kepa again to increase the deficit \u2013 and Arsenal never recovered, coming up short in pursuit of a response to finish as runners-up in the competition for a record seventh time.<\/p>\n

Arteta\u2019s players appeared despondent as City\u2019s squad climbed the steps to lift the trophy for a ninth time in the club\u2019s history \u2013 taking them just one shy of the all-time record tally held by Liverpool. <\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a hard one to take,\u2019 Arteta told reporters after Arsenal\u2019s hopes of securing a historic quadruple were crushed.<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Reilly scored twice a day after his 21st birthday (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Kepa had an afternoon to forget at Wembley (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It\u2019s very sad, especially for our players and our supporters because we know how much it means to them, and how much we want it.<\/p>\n

\u2018The fact we haven\u2019t managed to deliver that and obviously it\u2019s disappointing.\u2019<\/p>\n

On his decision to start Kepa over established number one David Raya, Arteta replied: \u2018I have to do what I think is right, and I think we have an understanding keeping on Kepa.<\/p>\n

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Reflecting on Arsenal\u2019s painful afternoon, club legend Parlour said he had \u2018no complaints\u2019 with the result as the better team ultimately came out on top. <\/p>\n

And while it was Kepa\u2019s error that gifted City their breakthrough, Parlour was especially disappointed by the performances of Saka \u2013 Arsenal\u2019s captain on the day \u2013 and Declan Rice.<\/p>\n

\u2018Saka didn\u2019t get a kick yesterday,\u2019 he said on talkSPORT this morning.<\/p>\n

\u2018You look at people who are going to influence games, Saka is certainly one of them for Arsenal, and he couldn\u2019t get in the game. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Saka was largely ineffective in Arsenal\u2019s defeat (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Declan Rice was a little bit too deep at times. <\/p>\n

\u2018They went really deep in the second half and it just invited Man City onto them.<\/p>\n

\u2018Obviously it was a mistake from Kepa for the first goal but it\u2019s a game that could have gone either way\u2026 but I thought Man City just had that little bit more in the second half. <\/p>\n

\u2018First half was pretty evenly matched, there wasn\u2019t a lot in it in the first half, not a lot of chances, but there\u2019s no complaints from myself that City won it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tArsenal 0-2 Man City – Metro at the Match\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Manchester City have secured the first silverware of the season after Arsenal failed to deliver at Wembley. <\/p>\n

The quadruple dream is over and the Gunners must now pick up the pieces after a sobering setback.<\/p>\n

For City, it has breathed life into their campaign after a dismal Champions League exit this week.<\/p>\n

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Kepa gamble backfires spectacularly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta decided to keep faith in Kepa Arrizabalaga after starting the Spaniard in each round of the competition leading up to the final at Wembley today. <\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola did likewise with James Trafford, but it was Arsenal who paid the price for dropping one of their best players. From the moment the second-half kicked off, Kepa dallied on the ball, inviting the pressure that would inevitably swarm all over the Gunners and trigger their downfall.<\/p>\n

Raya has been spectacular this season, the best goalkeeper in the Premier League by some margin and in sublime form. Had he started, Sunday may have been a very different story.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal still have plenty left to fight for (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Old Arsenal fears reignited<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have seen Arsenal collapse in the past. Past failures have so often been used as a stick to beat them with but things have felt different this season. <\/p>\n

Victory today would have gone some way in erasing the lingering fears over another derailment . But defeat at Wembley could serve as a catalyst for something much bleaker. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-LCUP-ARSENAL-MAN\t<\/div>
Arteta got his biggest decision on the day wrong (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Arsenal are still fighting on three fronts, in control of the Premier League title race and well-placed to continue marching on in Europe. But the effects of today could be season-altering. The woeful second-half showing was as bad as anything served up by them this term on the stage where they needed to be their best.<\/p>\n

O’Reilly steps up<\/strong><\/p>\n

City needed a hero at Wembley and they found a home-grown one. With Phil Foden only coming on as an injury time substitute, left-back O’Reilly stepped up as City’s savour with two headers to save their season. <\/p>\n

City were fantastic in the second period to a man and fed off Arsenal’s apprehension but it was the 21-year-old set the standard when they needed inspiration. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Tony Mogan, live sports editor<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-LCUP-ARSENAL-MAN\t<\/div>
Arteta\u2019s men return to action against Southampton in the FA Cup on April 4 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Parlour, the international break comes at the worst possible time for Arsenal, with the side\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final with Southampton taking place in 12 days\u2019 time.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal have got to dust themselves down,\u2019 the former England international \u2013 who won the League Cup with Arsenal in 1993 \u2013 explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018The problem they\u2019ve got is that when you lose a game of football, you want another quick one around the corner to bounce back, to get the feel-good factor back into the dressing room. <\/p>\n

\u2018Now, they\u2019ve got to wait weeks because of the international break, everybody going different places, and now Mikel Arteta will be overthinking that game and what went wrong, this, that and whatever.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m just hoping they can bounce back quickly.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Parlour picked out City\u2019s match-winner and unlikely hero, O\u2019Reilly, for special praise, saying the versatile youngster was going to be a \u2018massive player\u2019 for both club and country going forward.<\/p>\n

\u2018He was superb, what a weekend for him,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n

\u2018Not a bad weekend\u2026 21st birthday on Saturday, getting the two goals in the Carabao Cup final on the Sunday.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Kepa gifted City their opener with a howler on the hour-mark (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018He\u2019s going to be a massive player going forward for England and Manchester City.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arteta defended his decision to start Kepa after the final, insisting he would make the same call again in a heartbeat given the Spaniard\u2019s performances throughout the competition.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a hard one and I can see what he\u2019s saying,\u2019 Parlour said of Arteta\u2019s post-match remarks. <\/p>\n

\u2018Unless you say to the goalkeeper before the start of the tournament that you\u2019re going to be playing most of the games, but in the final I might have to change it and put my best goalkeeper in \u2013 and sometimes you have to accept that as a goalkeeper.<\/p>\n

\u2018But Guardiola did exactly the same thing and James Trafford had a great game!\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Man Utd target Arsenal fan favourite amid doubts over Luke Shaw<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Emmanuel Petit slams Mikel Arteta decision that \u2018killed\u2019 Arsenal in Carabao Cup final<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Eberechi Eze injury rules him out of England squad as replacement chosen<\/span><\/p>\n
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