Arsenal starting Kepa ‘backfired big time’ after Carabao Cup final howler helps Man City to trophy, says Jamie Redknapp

Arsenal starting Kepa ‘backfired big time’ after Carabao Cup final howler helps Man City to trophy, says Jamie Redknapp

Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Ian Wright criticise Mikel Arteta‘s decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in Carabao Cup final defeat to Arsenal; Arteta defends call as “right, honest and fair” and says he would make same decision again

Jamie Carragher was critical of Mikel Arteta’s decision to start second-choice Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of David Raya after his howler during Arsenal’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Kepa kept his place for Sunday’s showpiece after featuring in every round of the Gunners’ run to the final, but his inclusion was questioned ahead of the game and came back to bite the Arsenal boss when he failed to take Rayan Cherki’s cross, deflecting it straight into the path of Nico O’Reilly for City’s opener after an hour.

Arteta defended his decision as “right and fair”, however, Carragher believes that Arteta doesn’t owe the former Chelsea goalkeeper anything.

He also compared the situation to James Trafford at Man City, as well as Caoimhin Kelleher when he played for Liverpool, who often started in goal in cup competitions and finals.

“I’ve got strong views on playing the second goalkeeper. I don’t like it, but I can understand it in some situations,” Carragher said on Sky Sports Premier League Extra Time.

“But Mikel Arteta does not owe Kepa anything. He owes Arsenal supporters the best possible chance of winning the first trophy in six years. They’ve won one trophy in nine years.

“The goalkeeper comes to the club because he knows he’s second choice. He can play through the rounds, but once you get to the final, it has to change for me because they haven’t won enough trophies and they need to get over the line.

“But Pep does owe Trafford. He bought him in at the start of the season to be the No 1, didn’t think he was good enough and then bought Donnarumma in – not easy for the lad.

“Also, they’ve won four of them. The pressure on Man City to win another Carabao Cup is not the same.

“People might also flip and say Kelleher and Liverpool. The reason he got so many opportunities to play in finals is because Liverpool were desperate to keep him – that is not the point with Kepa.

“He was signed as a No 2 and he’s not good enough at the top level – we’ve seen that at Chelsea.

“David Raya is not just the first choice goalkeeper, we’re arguably talking about Arsenal’s best player this season, so it’s not just changing No 1 for No 2, it’s changing one of your best players when you haven’t got a history of winning with this team.”

Redknapp: Arteta’s decision backfired big time

Redknapp shared Carragher’s confusion at Arteta’s decision.

“I know people will say it’s sentiment and he played in the earlier rounds, but Kepa is not as good as Raya,” he said. “That’s why he is the No 2.

“So why, in a major cup final when you’re trying to get across the line and you’ve not won a trophy in so long, do you decide to play him? You have to take responsibility for that. That is a monumental error.

“He’s not a bad goalkeeper – he’s not as good as Raya. It has backfired big time.”

At the other end, City’s No 2 Trafford also started in goal – as he did throughout their triumphant Carabao Cup campaign.

“You could say Trafford isn’t the No 1 either but he made three really good saves and after that, hardly had to touch the ball. It was easy for him,” Redknapp continued.

“It’s not me being wise after the event, I said it before the game.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright agreed that Kepa’s selection had been a risk by Arteta, and pointed to the timing of his mistake as an aggravating factor in the defeat, which came when Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke were getting ready to come on.

He said: “The gamble didn’t pay off. It was the fashion of the mistake [from Kepa] that makes you think ‘that’s a No 2’.

“It’s something you wouldn’t see a No 1 goalkeeper make and it’s unfortunate because it’s the turning point.

“If we don’t concede that goal and we get the subs on, we might get into the game a bit.”

Arteta: No regrets over Kepa decision

Arteta defended his decision to start Kepa, calling his compatriot an “outstanding goalkeeper” and insisting the selection was “right and fair”.

“I would do it again. he deserved to play this game and has been phenomenal for us. Errors are part of football any anyone can make them,” he told Sky Sports.

When asked whether he expected people to single out Kepa for Arsenal’s defeat, he added: “I understand but I have to do what I think is right which is honest and fair. Kepa is an outstanding keeper, and it would’ve been very unfair on him to do something different.

“We are guided by what we see. What he’s done in the competition, and how he helped us to get us to the final, I believe it was the right thing to do.

“Errors are part of football, and unfortunately it happened in a crucial moment.”