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Manchester City lost to Real Madrid, and Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League Last 16 second legs on Tuesday evening. It was an emotional night and two energy-sapping games, but both clubs must recover in time for Sunday's EFL Cup final in London.
Wembley will be packed to capacity, but which side will leave with the trophy?
The head-to-head stats on Flashscore show that Arsenal and Man City have met 10 times in the League Cup, with very little separating the rivals. Arsenal hold a slight advantage, having won five matches.
Man City have four wins, with one ending in a draw. Another competitive encounter is expected, and you can call the result at any of the sportsbooks featured on this page.
Online gambling traders have the Gunners as clear favourites to win in regulation time. The odds offered suggest anything other than an Arsenal triumph would be a shock result.
Cup finals rarely follow the form, ensuring Man City will attract plenty of attention this weekend. Keep reading as football betting analyst Frank Monkhouse provides his three best bets.
Arsenal v Man City tips
Under 3.5 goals @ 1/3 (bet365)
Man City to lift the trophy @ 6/5 (bet365)
Haaland to score @ 11/10 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Totals - under 3.5 goals
Millions will tune into Sunday's match hoping to see two giants of English football go head-to-head and produce a high-scoring final. Arsenal and Man City played out a tense 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium earlier this season, meaning they've shared a dozen goals in their previous three meetings. But League Cup finals are often tense, low-scoring affairs.
Flicking through the results of past cup finals played at Wembley shows that backing under 3.5 goals was a smart bet. It landed when Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 last year.
It was also a profitable play in each of the previous eight EFL Cup finals, a run that stretches back to 2018. Interestingly, the first in that sequence was a 3-0 win for City over Arsenal.
Cup finals at Wembley often start slowly. Past meetings show that four of the previous ten finals were won in extra time or on penalties.
There's so much on the line here, an international television audience in the millions watches on, and let's not forget that both clubs had tough midweek games in the Champions League against top-quality opposition. Add under 3.5 goals to your weekend multiples.
Tip: Under 3.5 goals @ 1/3 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Sunday's EFL Cup final must produce fewer than four goals in regulation time.
Lift the trophy - Man City
My second bet will take most bookmakers by surprise, but I'm supporting the underdogs. Arsenal are strong favourites, with their odds much shorter than I expected.
Cup finals are almost always competitive, and we know it's never wise to write off Pep Guardiola's team in the biggest matches. They have shown a knack for digging out results when it matters most.
Above, I mentioned that four of the previous 10 EFL Cup finals went to extra-time, with no champion crowned after 90 minutes. That becomes even more interesting when you learn that Man City were involved in half of the last four.
They beat Liverpool 3-1 on penalties in 2016 following a 1-1 draw. They also beat Chelsea 4-3 from the spot in 2019 following a 0-0.
The updated H2H show Man City haven't beaten Arsenal in six meetings, going back to the summer of 2023. That does little to inspire confidence, but it's worth drilling down deeper.
Included in that six-game run are four draws and a 1-0 win for Arsenal when Martinelli got the winner on 86 minutes. A bet on Man City to last the distance deserves your attention.
Tip: Man City to lift the trophy @ 6/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: With this bet, it doesn't matter if Man City win after 90 minutes, in stoppage time, or from the penalty spot.
Anytime scorer - Haaland
I wrap up my Arsenal vs Man City EFL Cup final predictions with a play at decent odds. Place a bet on Haaland to score, and your bet will be live for the entire time the big-name striker is on the field of play.
An early goal from Haaland pays the same as the Man City attacker netting near the end. Please note, this bet applies to 90 minutes only.
Haaland's most recent domestic goal was in February against Fulham in the Premier League. The 25-year-old hasn't scored in three Premier League matches since, drawing a blank against Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham.
However, his stats against Sunday's opponents give us reason to smile. Erling's odds make him worth sticking with.
Haaland arrives at Wembley having scored in each of his previous three meetings with Arsenal. He gave his team an early 1-0 lead in two of those showdowns.
When trusting Haaland with your stake, you're getting a nice price on a player who has scored 42 goals in all competitions this term. He's a reliable star who was born for the big matches.
Tip: Haaland to score @ 11/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Haaland must get on the scoresheet in Sunday's EFL Cup final.
Arsenal v Man City odds
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.