“Kepa's Butterfingers” Arsenal Mocked With Meme Storm Following Carabao Cup Defeat At Wembley To City

Arsenal's long wait for a League Cup trophy continues after a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Wembley. The Gunners, chasing their first success in the competition since 1993, were undone by costly errors and questionable decisions from Mikel Arteta.

The biggest talking point was in goal. Arteta chose Kepa Arrizabalaga over David Raya, a sentimental nod to the Spaniard's appearances earlier in the tournament. But the gamble backfired spectacularly. Kepa spilled a routine cross that allowed Nico O'Reilly to head City in front, then conceded again minutes later. His nervy display left fans wondering why Arsenal's number one was left on the bench for such a crucial occasion.

Beyond the goalkeeper drama, Arsenal's substitutions raised eyebrows. Piero Hincapié struggled defensively, Leandro Trossard offered little in attack, and Bukayo Saka faded after a bright start. Yet all three stayed on longer than they should have, leaving the team short of spark when it mattered most.

City, meanwhile, showed their ruthless edge. O'Reilly's brace sealed their ninth League Cup crown, while Arsenal's promising opening spell dissolved into misplaced passes and stretched marking. The contrast was stark: City raised their level, Arsenal dropped theirs.

For Arsenal supporters, the frustration is familiar. Nine finals, seven defeats - the League Cup remains a cursed competition. The highlight of the second half might well have been Ben White clattering Rayan Cherki after a cheeky ball juggle, which says everything about how little went right.

Arteta insisted the team will use the disappointment as fuel for bigger ambitions in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup. But for now, the memes write themselves: goalkeeper blunders, substitution woes, and another Wembley heartbreak.

Kepa Arrizabalaga Wembley Showcase twitter/0H96uoxosG

- Bradley (@BradleyLFC24v3) March 22, 2026

Can't believe anyone, myself included, didn't realise that Kepa would be the EFL Cup Final main character

- James Benge (@jamesbenge) March 22, 2026

- David Raya watching this Kepa performance twitter/diDk0VZ1We

- The Touchline | (@TouchlineX) March 22, 2026

Kepa has lost cup finals he's played in at Wembley twitter/ujN6OSN4SK

- LiveScore (@livescore) March 22, twitter/V4fJNR4LCi

- Thanos (@Muchang_i) March 22, 2026

Arsenal vs Man City League Cup final twitter/uEj3Acecom

- Troll Football (@TrollFootball) March 22, 2026

Arteta recreated the iconic meme twitter/OyNisU5kFh

- Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) March 22, 2026

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