Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has strongly criticized Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the coach made a controversial decision to start goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga instead of David Raya, a choice that ultimately went wrong during Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup Final played on Sunday. The selection raised eyebrows before kickoff, and the situation became worse after a costly mistake from Kepa contributed to Arsenal’s defeat. The error allowed City to take control of the match comfortably, as the team managed by Pep Guardiola dominated the encounter at Wembley Stadium. Young forward Nico O’Reilly scored twice in the game, securing the victory and ensuring that Manchester City lifted the trophy without much resistance from the Gunners. While speaking during match analysis on Sky Sports, Redknapp openly questioned Arteta’s decision-making, describing the goalkeeper selection as a serious miscalculation in such an important match. According to Redknapp, Raya has been Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper for a reason, and choosing the backup in a major final was a risky move that did not pay off. He stressed that when a club has waited for a long period to win silverware, the manager must rely on his strongest lineup instead of experimenting. Redknapp explained that the decision placed unnecessary pressure on the team and eventually affected the outcome of the game. He added that mistakes in finals often prove costly, and in this case, the gamble taken by Arteta ended up working against Arsenal at the worst possible moment. He concluded by saying that the choice will likely be remembered as one of the key reasons Arsenal failed to secure the trophy, as the team could not recover after conceding and never fully regained control of the match.
