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Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has criticised Mikel Arteta for \u201ckilling\u201d the Carabao Cup final before it had even begun by starting Kepa Arrizabalaga.<\/p>\n
The Gunners head coach opted to start Kepa, who has started for Arsenal<\/strong> in all their other matches in the competition, and the Spaniard made a mistake leading to Nico O\u2019Reilly\u2019s opener for Man City in Sunday\u2019s showpiece event at Wembley.<\/p>\n O\u2019Reilly scored another header just four minutes later to give Man City victory with Pep Guardiola\u2019s outfit winning the first major silverware on offer this term.<\/p>\n Arteta insisted after the match that he would have made the decision again over Kepa but Petit reckons the choice of goalkeeper \u201ckilled\u201d the match for Arsenal.<\/p>\n Petit told talkSPORT<\/em>: \u201cIn some way I can understand what Arteta is saying but in a way when you play a final it\u2019s different.<\/p>\n \u201cThe final I don\u2019t care how you play it, you have to win it, which means you have to put your best players on the pitch.<\/p>\n READ: <\/span>Kepa Arrizabalaga EFL Cup final calamities ranked by disastrousness after latest loss with Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThis is one single game and at the end of the game you have a trophy or not. For me this is the big difference.<\/p>\n \u201cI can understand what Arteta said about Kepa and honestly it\u2019s nice for him to say that but at this point don\u2019t make feelings first. We are talking about wining a trophy.<\/p>\n \u201cFeelings for me are not a concern. You have to make choices for the best of the team, the best of the club and the fans. The fact is this mistake killed the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Premier League leaders Arsenal are still in the driving seat to win the Premier League title with the Gunners nine points ahead of Man City.<\/p>\n MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365\u2026<\/strong> But the Citizens have a game in hand on the Gunners, while Arsenal also have to travel to the Etihad Stadium next month, and Freddie Ljungberg reckons defeat in the Carabao Cup final could be a mental \u201cblow\u201d.<\/p>\n Ljungberg said: \u201cIt is a blow. The talk of the town, that\u2019s Arsenal. Arsenal are the new ones coming in.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are doing amazing in the Champions League, it was the quadruple, everything was going their way.<\/p>\n \u201cManchester City had a Champions League run, they\u2019ve been heavily criticised, but all of a sudden, they demolish Arsenal a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked if the result could have long-term effects, Arteta replied: \u201cWe played 50 games today, so every time you have a defeat or a draw, if that\u2019s the consequence, you\u2019re not prepared to play 70 games because it\u2019s something that will happen at some point.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t allowed that to happen, we have to prove it, we have to do it again. The good thing is that we have a very recent history, how this team has reacted in those moments, and I\u2019m sure we\u2019re going to do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n READ NEXT: Premier League winners and losers: Pereira, pre-break Spurs, Everton, Liverpool, \u00a3748.4m Chelsea<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n
* <\/span>16 Conclusions on Manchester City beating bottling Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final<\/strong>
* <\/span>Arsenal waste historic opportunity as Man City comfortably win the Nico O\u2019Reilly final<\/strong>
* Carragher slams Arsenal star \u2018not good enough for the top level\u2019 after Man City defeat<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n