Arsenal vs. Manchester City Carabao Cup thread: another match

Arsenal host Manchester City at the Emirates in the Carabao Cup Quaterfinal today. There will always be the whole Mikel Arteta versus Pep Guardiola thing, but I think we’ve pretty much hit the statute of limitations on that one. The real question, the important storyline is can Arsenal start playing football that looks halfway decent. Whether the Gunners manage a win against City in the EFL Cup is mostly irrelevant. Their ability to play a brand of football that will translate into Premier League results is very much relevant.

The stats say the Gunners aren’t in a relegation battle. At least not yet. But the season is teetering on the brink of become a completely lost one, if it hasn’t gone over the edge already. Again, that doesn’t matter for the Carabao Cup, per se, but every match is a referendum on the team and on Mikel Arteta’s fitness as a manager of Arsenal Football Club.

Arsenal will be without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who suffered a slight calf strain in training. He will be re-assessed before the Chelsea match on Saturday. Thomas Partey is “currently unavailable and working hard” to return to training. Granit Xhaka is serving the last of his three-match, red card suspension.

Manchester City will be without centerback Eric Garcia. Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte, and Sergio Aguero are doubtful but have an outside shot at playing.

Arsenal - Runarsson, Mustafi, Gabriel, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Ceballos, Cedric, Willock, Lacazette, Martinelli

Manchester City - Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus

WHAT: Arsenal vs. Manchester City
WHERE: The Emirates
WHEN: Tuesday, December 22nd 12 PM PT | 3 PM ET | 8 PM BT
US TV: Streaming on ESPN+ ($$$).

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