Gary Neville criticises Kepa after mistake in Arsenal’s 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Man City, saying the goalkeeper contributed to the loss

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has criticised Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga following his costly error in the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, said the Spanish goalkeeper’s performance showed signs of lack of confidence and poor decision-making even before the decisive mistake that led to City’s opening goal.

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Arsenal missed the chance to claim their first trophy of the season after a second-half collapse against their Premier League title rivals at Wembley.

The breakthrough came when Kepa mishandled the ball in a dangerous situation, allowing City forward Nico O’Reilly to capitalise and score into an empty net.

Neville stated that the goalkeeper had already been “inviting pressure” from Manchester City through his style of play, adding that his actions were not helping Arsenal’s overall game plan.

He also questioned Arsenal’s second-half approach, suggesting that their cautious tactics contributed to the loss.

According to him, the team slowed down too much after the break, allowing Manchester City to take control of the game.

Despite the defeat, Arsenal remain at the top of the Premier League table, holding a nine-point lead over their closest rivals, although Manchester City still have a game in hand.

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The result has intensified discussions around Arsenal’s squad decisions and game management in high-pressure matches as the season approaches its final stretch.