Goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva helped Manchester City to Carabao Cup glory as they saw off Arsenal at Wembley to keep their hopes of a treble well and truly alive.
City obviously went into this as favourites although the last time these two had met at Wembley, last seasons FA Cup Semi Final, the Gunners came out on top in that one, and with Arsene Wenger yet to win the league cup, this added another plot to this final.
City boss Pep Guardiola was also looking for his first trophy at the club and with over 85,000 at Wembley for this one, the atmosphere was electric as the teams took to the field.
City began in the front foot and saw a Leroy Sane effort blocked before Aguero saw a low shot diverted away from goal. But then on eight minutes the Gunners should of taken the lead when Aaron Ramsey poked a pass through to Mesut Ozil and the German picked out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the far post, and he looked destined to score but the striker scuffed his shot from inside the six-yard box and was brilliantly kept out by a sprawling Claudio Bravo. Kyle Walker did well to put the pressure on Aubameyang though and this may have contributed to the miss. However it was a massive let off for City.
In the 9th minute City broke down the other end but Aguero could only slice an effort into the side netting. It had been end-to-end stuff in the opening ten minutes at Wembley.
And four minutes later Arsenal were asking for a penalty when Nacho Monreal went down in the box under a Vincent Kompany challenge, however no penalty was given, and no VAR required, which was available to the officials in this final.
But in the 18th minute the deadlock was broken, and it was City who grabbed the opener, as after goalkeeper Bravo had pumped a ball up field, Aguero nudged Shkodran Mustafi off the ball, raced through into the box and lobbed the onrushing David Ospina for City goal number 199 for the Argentine. Not the best defending from the Arsenal man and his side now had to come from behind if they were to gain victory in this one.
Six minutes later Arsenal tried to respond when clever play from Ramsey saw him drill a low free-kick under the wall, but it was well gathered by Bravo at the near post and then just before the half hour mark Kompany powered a header over the Arsenal crossbar as they went looking for a second.
Aguero then flicked a header over the bar ten minutes before the break before a minute later Arsenal's Aubameyang, who looked like he was through on goal, saw Kompany show good pace to track back and dispossess the Gunners striker and thwart what could of been a leveller.
However five minutes before the break City came close to a second as Aguero managed to evade Mustafi once again before he chipped a ball towards the far post which was cleared off the line by Laurent Koscielny before Kevin de Bruyne smashed the follow-up into the sidenetting. It meant this final was still delicately balanced as we reached half time.
Half Time Arsenal 0 Manchester City 1
City came out of the blocks quickly in the second period and saw a ball fall to skipper Kompany on the edge of the box, but his low shot was blocked by Koscielny and dropped inches wide of the goal. Kompany thought it was in and held his head in his hands in dispair.
Ten minutes into the half a long ball forward from Gunners full back Hector Bellerin set Aubameyang through. There was then big confusion between Walker and keeper Bravo, who has sprinted miles off his line and then took an airshot at the ball, however the ball did not drop kindly for Aubameyang and he was eventually flagged for a foul.
But then in the 57th minute City, who had looked likely to double their lead, did just that when Ilkay Gundogan's shot across the area was diverted into the net by a clever Kompany finish and it cued wild celebrations amongst all that was Blue, it was certainly a popular goal from the their legend that was Kompany.
And just seven minutes later City all but ended this contest when defender Danilo danced across the Arsenal backline and played in David Silva, and the Spaniard turned Calum Chambers, looked up and drilled a low finish past David Ospina into the far corner and the Blues were cruising this one now. It was too much for some Arsenal fans who began leaving after this goal.
You felt City could easily go on and totally embarass a now shot Arsenal side, and with twenty minutes remaining Sane burst in from the left, past Mustafi, but then lost control at the final second and keeper Ospina managed to dive at the feet of the attacker and gather the ball.
Arsenal tried to at least give the remaining Gunners fan's inside the stadium something to cheer, and with fifteen minutes left saw Granit Xhaka send a long-range effort just over the crossbar, and then three minutes later a rare mistake from City at the back saw Nicolas Otamendi miss a through ball, however Aubameyang could not get on the end of it as Bravo came to collect it.
And alas that was the final moment in the contest as City comfortably saw the game out to take what in the end was a routine victory over a poor Arsenal side, especially second half. Manchester City won the Carabao Cup and it was Guardiola's first trophy as City manager. You would expect a few more to follow.
For Arsenal this was a humbling experience and leaves them now with just the Europa League to contend for realistically. The fallout from this one has already begun with many yet again calling for Wenger to go, and on this showing you can't blame them for that, it's gone stale at the Arsenal which for a club like that is very sad to see.
Full Time Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3
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