Manchester City will face Arsenal in the 2026 EFL Cup final after both clubs secured dominant semi-final victories this week. Manchester City defeated Newcastle United 3-1 in their second leg match, winning 5-1 on aggregate. Arsenal overcame Chelsea with a 1-0 win in their second leg, sealing a 4-2 aggregate triumph. The highly anticipated final will take place on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Wembley Stadium in London.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Manchester City's Path to Wembley Manchester City confirmed their spot in the EFL Cup final with a commanding 3-1 victory over Newcastle United in the semi-final second leg. The match took place at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. This win extended City's aggregate lead to 5-1, following their initial 2-0 advantage from the first leg at St James' Park.^[1][6][2] Omar Marmoush was a key player for City, scoring two goals in the first half. His first goal came just seven minutes into the game, a fortunate deflection off Dan Burn that looped over Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.^[6][2] Marmoush then scored his second goal around the 29-minute mark, heading the ball over the line after a deflection from Kieran Trippier.^[6][2] Tijjani Reijnders added a third goal for Manchester City only three minutes later, completing a swift counter-attack he initiated.^[6][2][7] Newcastle managed to pull one goal back in the 62nd minute through Anthony Elanga.^[6][2][7] Despite some chances for Newcastle, including efforts from Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon, City goalkeeper James Trafford made crucial saves to maintain his team's significant lead.^[2] After the match, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the challenge Newcastle posed. "With Newcastle United, you can never control them completely," Guardiola said.^[8] He also praised his goalkeeper, adding, "They had a one against one with James Trafford and James was unbelievable, especially in the first half."^[8] Guardiola also made controversial comments regarding new signing Marc Guehi's eligibility for the final. He stated, "Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in this competition, in the final. Because it is difficult to understand that the club makes a big investment to take one player, he belongs to us [now] and I don't understand why he cannot play in the final.” H^[8]owever, reports suggest the EFL will not change its rules, meaning Guehi will be ineligible. ^[9][10]Manchester City boasts an impressive record in the EFL Cup, having won the trophy eight times. This includes a remarkable run of four consecutive titles from 2018 to 2021. T^{[11][12][13][14]}heir appearance in the 2026 final marks their 10th time reaching this stage of the competition. N^[6][15]ewcastle United, who were the defending champions of the EFL Cup after beating Liverpool in the 2025 final, were eliminated by City in this semi-final round. ^[16][11]Arsenal Secures Their Final Spot Arsenal also booked their place in the 2026 EFL Cup final by defeating Chelsea in their semi-final tie. The Gunners won the second leg 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 4-2 aggregate victory over their London rivals. A^[15][17][4]rsenal had previously won the first leg with a 3-2 score. ^[4][18]The second leg was a tight contest, with both teams initially cautious. The tactical deadlock persisted throughout the first half, limiting clear scoring opportunities. C^[4]helsea pushed for a goal in the second half, needing at least one to force extra time. H^[4]owever, Arsenal's defense remained strong. K^[4]ai Havertz scored the only goal of the night in the closing moments, capitalizing on a late counterattack to send Arsenal to Wembley. ^[17][4]Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his team's motivation to succeed in the competition. "When you get to this stage in the competition, you get to the final and you get over the line and win it, it brings energy, it brings belief and the sense that everybody is very important and playing part of that," Arteta said. H^[19][20]e highlighted the importance of learning from past experiences, especially after being eliminated at the semi-final stage last season. "^[19][20]Hopefully, we learn from last year because it was painful, especially the manner that the games went and the amount of chances that we missed not to go through, but hopefully this year we are better and especially more efficient," Arteta added. H^[20]e also emphasized the collective goal, stating, "We have an opportunity to go to Wembley all together so we have to push all the energy, optimism that we can all together, take that and in a few weeks be in Wembley together.” Hi^[21]storically, Arsenal has won the League Cup twice. However, they have been runners-up six times, which is more than any other club in the competition's history. Rea^{[11][22][23][14]}ching this final provides Arsenal with another chance to add to their trophy cabinet and overcome their previous runner-up finishes. A Highly Anticipated Wembley Showdown The 2026 EFL Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal is scheduled for Sunday, March 22, 2026. The match will kick off at 4:30 PM GMT at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London. Wem^{[3][24][25][5]}bley Stadium, known as "The Home of Football," has a seating capacity of 90,000. Eac^[26][27][28]h finalist club typically receives approximately 32,000 tickets for their supporters. Th^[24]is final pits two of England's top teams against each other. Both clubs are currently strong contenders in the Premier League. The^[15]ir last encounter in the Premier League, in September 2025, ended in a 1-1 draw. The^[15] final presents a significant opportunity for both managers. For Pep Guardiola, it could be a chance to secure a fifth EFL Cup trophy with Manchester City. For^[15] Mikel Arteta, a former assistant to Guardiola, winning this trophy would mark a significant achievement for Arsenal, boosting team morale and belief. Th^[19][20]e EFL Cup Legacy The EFL Cup, also known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is England's second most important domestic cup competition after the FA Cup. The^[16][11][14] competition, established in 1960, is open to all 92 clubs from the Premier League and the English Football League. The^[16][14] winner of the EFL Cup earns a place in the play-off round of the following season's UEFA Conference League. Ov^[16][25][5]er its history, the EFL Cup has seen various clubs lift the trophy. Liverpool holds the record for the most titles with ten wins. Man^[11][14]chester City is close behind with eight victories. The^[11][12][14] competition provides a valuable platform for clubs to win silverware and for younger players to gain experience in high-stakes matches. Th^[14]e upcoming final between Manchester City and Arsenal promises to be an exciting clash. Both teams have demonstrated strong form and determination in their journey to Wembley. The victor will not only claim the prestigious trophy but also gain significant momentum for the remainder of their season.

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