The Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City is edging ever closer, but Pep Guardiola's side have been hit with an extra difficult and demanding scenario
Arsenal hopes of winning the Carabao Cup have been boosted after Manchester City learned their opponents for the FA Cup fifth round. In the fourth round, the Gunners and the Cityzens were handed kind ties.
City, albeit unconvincingly, saw off Salford City at the Etihad Stadium, while four first-half goals saw Mikel Arteta's side dispatch Wigan Athletic 4-0. The FA Cup gods smiled on Arsenal again as they were handed an away clash with League One side Mansfield Town, who recently knocked out Burnley.
However, City were given a nightmare draw as they face an ominous away clash against Newcastle United. Having seen them off in the League Cup semi-final comfortably, Pep Guardiola will not be happy with anything less than a victory.
But while Arteta will surely be able to field his second team against Mansfield, Guardiola will need to deploy most, if not, all of his available big guns if he is serious about winning the competition.
The problem for City is the clash takes place on the weekend of March 7/8 – a fortnight before the League Cup final, with the exact date and kick-off time still to be determined.
A home fixture against relegation-battlers Nottingham Forest – under new leadership and fighting for their lives – on March 4 will precede the FA Cup tie. And there is also a testing away clash against an ever-improving West Ham United on March 14.
In-between the away trips to Newcastle and West Ham will be the first-legs of the Champions League round of 16 stages on March 10 and 11. City will face one of Real Madrid, Benfica, Bodo/Glimt or Inter Milan, while the Gunners take on Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen or Olympiacos.
With City looking to chase down Arsenal, who haven't won a major trophy since their 2020 FA Cup triumph, beating the north Londoners in the League Cup final would be a massive psychological blow for Arteta's side.
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However, the FA Cup clash with Newcastle is treacherous. A second string City team would be vulnerable to the Magpies, if Eddie Howe commits his best available players to the FA Cup.
With the Toon falling further and further away from the race for the Champions League spots, the old competition appears to be their only hope for salvaging a stuttering campaign and a place in the Europa League. Guardiola would need to risk losing some of his big hitters to injury in a busy and demanding period if he is to overcome Newcastle.
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Against Wigan, Arteta was able to rest David Raya, Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhaes and was also able to take Bukayo Saka and William Saliba off early. The huge, but talented, squad Arteta has amassed also means his second string eleven would give most teams in Europe a run for their money - he will expect them to get past Mansfield.
The upcoming League Cup final has plenty riding on it, as well as the gong itself. Arsenal have been excellent this season, but three seasons of leading title races only to lose to City at the bitter end will play on their mind until they burst their title bubble.
Losing to City in a final at Wembley Stadium would sit in the back of their minds long after the Carabao confetti has been cleaned up. Rest assured, Guardiola would have been most unhappy with his FA Cup draw.
His team struggled through January but now look capable of mounting a title challenge. After winning only one of their Premier League fixtures last month and beginning February by letting a two-goal lead slip against Spurs, City have clicked back into gear.
Their determined victory over Liverpool at Anfield was a huge result and the following 3-0 triumph over Fulham was equally golden, considering Arsenal could not hold onto their lead against Brentford.
The Gunners travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on the weekend while City host Newcastle. If City slip-up, as they have done throughout the campaign, and Arsenal beat Wolves, then the League Cup final may have little significance on the title race.
Right now, both teams look up for it and capable for going right to the bitter end. Any minor advantage will be gold dust.