Arsenal are gearing up for a blockbuster EFL Cup clash against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Gunners fans have been dreaming about a potential quadruple over the past couple of months, with Mikel Arteta’s side still challenging on all fronts.
This will be their first hurdle at achieving that milestone, but Arsenal’s woeful record in this competition offers the club faithful a cautionary tale.
Wembley forms the backdrop for a 2018 final rematch between City and Arsenal, although the Sky Blues came out on top on that occasion.
Goals from City legends Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, and David Silva helped secure a humbling 3-0 victory for the Cityzens.
Arsenal will be desperate to avoid a similar fate this time around, although Sunday’s showdown will mark their first appearance in the EFL Cup final since that comprehensive drubbing.
While Arsenal have come a long way over the past eight years, taking on the second most successful club in EFL Cup history will undoubtedly be a mammoth task for the Gunners.
Nevertheless, their recent record against City has proven that Arteta can stand up to his mentor when it matters most, and the stakes could be higher for the Gunners ahead of Sunday’s clash.
Having won just one trophy in nearly a decade, the pressure is firmly on the Gunners to get a result here.
Read on as we analyse Arsenal’s EFL Cup history as they look to secure only their third League Cup title and end a drought that has now lasted for over three decades.
When did Arsenal last win the League Cup?
Arsenal haven’t won the EFL Cup title since the 1992/93 campaign, when they beat Sheffield Wednesday in the final at Wembley.
The two-time winners had gone trophyless the previous year, so the League Cup triumph was expected to be a launch pad for the Gunners.
However, they nearly blew their EFL Cup hopes at the very first hurdle when they faced Millwall in a two-legged contest in the second round.
After a pair of 1-1 draws at Highbury and the Old Den, Arsenal ultimately prevailed 3-1 on penalties, but getting past Millwall was hardly a walk in the park.
The Gunners then picked up subsequent wins against Derby County, Scarborough Athletic, and Nottingham Forest before taking on Crystal Palace in a two-legged semi-final showdown.
However, Arsenal comfortably swatted aside their London rivals 5-1 on aggregate to set up the battle with Wednesday in the final, their first appearance in the showpiece since 1988.
Recapping Arsenal’s last EFL Cup title triumph
Wednesday were competing in the newly rebranded Premier League at the time and had even won the EFL Cup two years before their clash with Arsenal.
Given their status at the time, it was hardly surprising that the Owls took the lead through John Harkes, who only needed eight minutes to break the deadlock.
But Arsenal responded 12 minutes later as Paul Merson levelled matters with a ferocious effort from outside the box.
Merson soon turned creator, setting up Steve Morrow, who finished clinically from close range to turn the game on its head.
Morrow’s strike also turned out to be the match-winner for the Gunners, securing only their second EFL Cup title and a first in six years after beating Liverpool 2-1 in 1987.
Arsenal have been on the hunt for a third League Cup success in over three decades and will be determined to get the better of Guardiola’s troops in Sunday’s grudge encounter.
Arsenal’s route to the 2026 final
This will be the fourth time Arsenal have reached the EFL Cup final since their last title triumph, but each of their previous attempts to end the drought has ended the same way.
A 2-1 defeat against Chelsea in 2007 kick-started a three-match losing streak in the final, as they subsequently lost to Birmingham City and Sunday’s opponents.
Arsenal’s run to the 2026 final was hardly spectacular, beating Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Palace. But the highlight of their run came when they beat Chelsea home and away in the semis.
Arsenal are now gearing up to face City in the final and will likely kick things off as slight favourites. But the pressure is firmly on Arteta and his troops.
The Spanish manager has won one major trophy in six years at Arsenal.
While the EFL Cup may not necessarily fit that description, victory here would be a massive morale boost in the Premier League title race.
