Wenger out to shake off underdogs tag
Arsene Wenger has conceded his Arsenal side are the underdogs in today’s Carabao Cup final, but believes recent trophy successes can help them upset the odds to beat Manchester City.
The Gunners will be the unfancied side at Wembley, despite winning three FA Cups in the past four years.
Wenger’s men beat City in last season’s semi-final before going on to see off Chelsea as the Frenchman lifted a record seventh FA Cup as a manager.
Given their superb season to date, City pose an altogether different test this time around and Pep Guardiola’s outfit completely outclassed Arsenal in a 3-1 Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium in November.
But, even though Arsenal sit sixth in the table and a mammoth 27 points adrift of leaders City, Wenger has faith that his players will perform.
However, the Frenchman has never won the League Cup, often using it during his 21-year tenure to blood young players and give valuable minutes to those on the fringes of his first-team.
He came close in 2007 and 2011, losing surprisingly to Birmingham in the latter final when it was his Arsenal who were widely-expected to lift the trophy.
Now he accepts it is the Gunners who are able to spring a surprise this time around.
“When you come through such a long way, you go to the final, you don’t want to lose it,” he said. “You want to win it. At the end of the day, you have to be cool.
“Because Manchester City is dominating the league, so maybe we are more underdogs than in the FA Cup semi-final last season.
“We are maybe underdogs, but we have to believe in our quality. The history, the fact we have done it before, shows why can do it again.”