KEPA ARRIZABALAGA has hinted he is winning the race over Arsenal No1 David Raya to start in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The Spanish keeper, 31, has been Raya’s back-up for Mikel Arteta’s Quad-chasers this season but has started every tie.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has hinted that he is leading the race to start in Sunday’s Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty
Kepa has played backup to David Raya for most of the seasonCredit: Getty
Arteta has a decision to make ahead of the showpiece against rivals Manchester City.
Kepa is no stranger to the final after he famously refused to be substituted before Chelsea’s penalty shootout defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side in 2019.
But the Gunners stopper has hinted that he will get the nod over Raya as he discussed how he plans to prepare for the Wembley pressure.
Kepa said: “The atmosphere at Wembley is so special, everything around the game is special – the build-up and everything.
“You know you are out there playing for a title, and right now in this moment of , every title is so difficult to get.
“You know you are one game away from being able to lift a trophy. Obviously, it’s going to be a tough game, a very difficult game, but we’ll go for it.
“I have played in the League Cup final before, but I have played many finals in my career, I have been lucky in that way.
“So I will just approach the game the best way that I can. We will prepare everything in the best way, because at the end the aim is to win.
Kepa refused to be substituted for Willy Cabellero when he played for Chelsea in the 2019 League Cup finalCredit: Reuters
“Just focus on the game, focus on us and prepare for the opponent. That’s it. I don’t think we need to approach anything differently.”
Arsenal can pick up their first trophy of the season with victory over under the Wembley arch.
Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over means Arteta’s men are now in the quarter-finals, as well as being nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and into the quarters too.
Kepa, who joined Arsenal from in a £5m deal this summer, reckons the final against City could be the perfect springboard to ensure more trophies follow before the season ends.
He added: “We have big players who have played in big games, in finals, in the Euros, in the World Cup, in the Champions League. We know what it is to play in big games every three days.
“Manchester City have great players in every position, they are one of the strongest teams without a doubt. They have a lot of different options and depth of quality.
“For us though, hopefully this could be a way for us to open our trophy cabinet, and to keep it open.”
The Carabao Cup is often used as a momentum builder for teams, with the winner going on to lift more silverware in seven of the last 12 seasons.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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