Pep Guardiola makes an important announcement ahead of the final against Arsenal

Coach Pep Guardiola confirmed Manchester City's starting goalkeeper for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.

Having just been eliminated from the Champions League and facing difficulties in the Premier League title race, Manchester City now stands before the opportunity to secure their first trophy of the 2025/26 season as they face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

During the pre-match press conference, Coach Pep Guardiola surprisingly confirmed that James Trafford, Manchester City's second-choice goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Donnarumma, will be the starter at Wembley. When asked if this was a significant milestone for the 2002-born goalkeeper, Guardiola replied: “For the entire team, it is a very important moment.”

Up to now, Trafford has only played 12 matches across all competitions, as Gianluigi Donnarumma is usually the preferred choice. Nevertheless, he has played every minute in Manchester City's Carabao Cup campaign this season and is likely to continue playing at Wembley.

Previously, Trafford himself spoke about his situation this season, stating that he might consider leaving the club to seek more regular playing opportunities.

When asked about those earlier statements, Guardiola shared: “Players can be satisfied or dissatisfied; that is normal. The important thing is that they are here and perform to their best ability, and then we will see what happens at the end of the season. Most importantly, they must always be ready.”

When asked if he was satisfied with the young goalkeeper's attitude, Guardiola briefly replied: “Not just satisfied, but more than that.”

Apart from the goalkeeper position, Guardiola did not reveal much about personnel choices, but acknowledged that Manchester City will face a tough challenge against Arsenal at Wembley.

The Spanish strategist noted: “They control many aspects of the game. Not winning trophies for years further fuels their motivation, along with the cohesion in their play.

They know when to defend deep, when to hold possession, launch attacks, use long balls, or contest second balls. They have many strengths.

In the Champions League, they won all their group stage matches and only drew with Leverkusen, so this will be a major test for us to prove our caliber.”

Guardiola also emphasized: “To reach a final, in any competition, is very difficult. We have seen the quality of teams in Europe as well as in other leagues. Being at Wembley is a great opportunity, because you don't always get it. Therefore, we must seize this chance.”

The Carabao Cup final between Arsenal vs Manchester City will take place at 23:30 tomorrow night (March 22).