Guardiola gets 1st City trophy with League Cup win v Arsenal
LONDON — Manchester City’s old guard combined to give manager Pep Guardiola his first trophy at the club with a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva scored the goals that demonstrated the enduring value of the veterans at City despite Guardiola recruiting more than $600 million in fresh talent in around 18 months.
The victory at Wembley Stadium, aided by Arsenal’s brittle defending, allowed City to quickly restore order after Monday’s surprise exit from the FA Cup at Wigan.
The pursuit of a quadruple was extinguished by the third-tier side, but City is now one step closer to a treble. The Premier League seems a formality, with a 13-point lead and a game in hand over Manchester United. A place in the Champions League quarterfinals also looks certain with Basel beaten 4-0 in the last-16 first leg.