A former Arsenal defender defended Kepa and said the Gunners must learn to play dirty after missing out on the Carabao Cup title.
On 23 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Bakary Sagna, former Arsenal defender, spoke out in defense of Mikel Arteta following criticism over his decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal during the Carabao Cup final last Sunday. Arsenal lost 0-2 to Manchester City, watching the Sky Blues celebrate the trophy.
In that match, Arsenal controlled the first half well but failed to score. Kai Havertz had a golden chance that was saved by James Trafford. The momentum shifted after Kepa made a mistake that allowed Niko O'Reilly to head Manchester City ahead 1-0, followed by a second goal just four minutes later.
Sagna told Covers.com, “Mikel Arteta did not make the wrong decision choosing Kepa over David Raya. Kepa is a top-level goalkeeper, and although his error led to a goal against Arsenal, that was not the sole reason for the team’s defeat.”
“Arsenal dropped too deep in the second half, giving Manchester City space to apply pressure. They need to learn to play more aggressively and sometimes use long balls to relieve pressure, as well as push their defensive line higher instead of retreating deep into their own penalty area. Every time they had the ball, they insisted on building from the back, which ultimately led to their punishment.”
“If Kai Havertz had scored from his first chance, the result might have been completely different. He should have shot quicker to improve his scoring angle, but James Trafford made several excellent saves and deserves great praise.”
“Arsenal must forget this result and learn from their mistakes. Arteta will use Sunday’s defeat as motivation for the rest of the season as they continue to pursue the three major trophies they still have a chance to win.”