It is Arsenal vs Manchester City – and Mikel Arteta vs Pep Guardiola – in the EFL Cup final.
A battle between the top two in the Premier League and two close managerial friends, this promises to be quite the Sunday spectacle at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
So, here is our full preview for what should be a thrilling 2025-26 finale, and we have picked out some betting tips based on the latest EFL Cup odds.
And there is also a brilliant EFL Cup Final Offer available to all verified NetBet customers in the UK. Place a qualifying £10 pre-match Bet Builder on Arsenal vs Man City and earn a £5 Free Bet.
Where can I watch Arsenal vs Manchester City in the UK?
Arsenal vs Manchester City will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and ITV 1 (free-to-air), with kick-off scheduled for 4:30pm UK time.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Preview
Recent results
Arsenal are unbeaten in 14 games across all competitions, winning six of the last seven following Tuesday’s 2-0 success over Bayer Leverkusen – which secured a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Gunners’ recent Premier League battles saw them defeat Chelsea (2-1), Brighton (0-1) and Everton (2-0).
But things are not looking as good from City’s perspective. Guardiola’s men drew each of the previous two top-flight games vs Nottingham Forest (2-2) and West Ham (1-1), paving the way for Arsenal to move nine points clear at the top.
And the Citizens were beaten in both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie by Real Madrid, a 3-0 defeat at the Bernabeu followed by Tuesday’s 2-1 loss in Manchester.
The 3-1 win at Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round is City’s only victory in the last five, though form often counts for little ahead of a major final.
Head-to-head record
Arsenal are unbeaten in six consecutive matches against City, with the fixture at the Emirates earlier this season finishing 1-1 after Gabriel Martinelli’s dramatic late equaliser.
These two sides met at Wembley in August 2023 to contest the FA Community Shield, with the Gunners winning on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
And the pair also collided in the 2018 EFL Cup final, when an awesome City side thrashed Arsene Wenger’s men 3-0. A repeat of that would be a seismic shock…
Team news
Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber are both fitness doubts for Arsenal, while Mikel Merino is not expected back from a foot injury until May.
Josko Gvardiol is still unavailable for City, while January signing Marc Guehi is cup-tied and therefore ineligible.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are slight favourites to claim the win here, priced at 2.34. A victory for Man City is at odds of 3.08, while the draw after 90 minutes is 3.20.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Betting Tips
Total goals – Over 2.5 @ 1.88
Major finals can often be cagey affairs, but we fancy this tussle to be slightly different. With the Premier League title race entering its final lap, this represents the perfect opportunity for one side to land a significant blow on the other. So front-foot football may be the order of the day, hopefully leading to a goal-fest at Wembley!
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.67
This selection comes with slightly less risk attached to it than the one above, as theoretically only two goals are required for it to land. The last three Premier League meetings between Arsenal and City saw both teams find the back of the net.
Player to score or assist – Eberechi Eze @ 2.62
Eze was on target with a sensational strike in the win over Leverkusen. And lest we forget, the England international netted the only goal in last season’s FA Cup final to secure the trophy for Crystal Palace at City’s expense. Eze has scored or assisted in each of his last three appearances vs the Citizens, and is renowned for delivering the goods during run-in months, so could make a mockery of his attractive price here.
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