Guardiola Plays Down Title Impact After Manchester City Beat Arsenal in Carabao Cup Final

• Manchester City defeat Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup
• Pep Guardiola says result will not affect Premier League title race
• City remain nine points behind Arsenal ahead of April 19 league clash

Pep Guardiola said he does not expect Manchester City’s Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal to have any impact on the Premier League title race.

City secured a 2-0 win at Wembley on Sunday, with Nico O’Reilly scoring twice in the second half to deliver Guardiola his fifth Carabao Cup triumph in 10 years at the club.

Despite the result, Guardiola played down any suggestion that Arsenal’s defeat could influence the title race, with his side still nine points behind the league leaders.

“I would like to be nine points in front to fight for the Premier League,” Guardiola said.

“I don’t think it will have an impact, different competition and they will be more concerned when they come to the Etihad.”

City and Arsenal will meet again in the league on April 19, but Guardiola insisted the title remains in Arsenal’s control.

“The Premier League is in their hands,” he said. “We have a game in hand and Arsenal at home, and we are going to try to win our games, and we will see what happens.”

Guardiola celebrated both goals at Wembley, including sprinting down the touchline after O’Reilly’s second header sealed the win.

The trophy marks the 19th of Guardiola’s tenure at City, and he said he is determined to enjoy each success.

“Always winning a title is difficult, so it’s a joy and the satisfaction alongside,” he said.

“They suffocated us in the first 15 minutes like they normally do, but after that we started to win a little bit of the second balls.

“We made an incredible victory. The Carabao Cup is not the Champions League or the Premier League, everyone knows that, but winning against that team makes the title special.”