Arsenal vs Man City: I will do it again — Arteta defends choice to start Kepa

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City, insisting that he does not desire a do-over.

The Gunners suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, with a Nico O’Reilly brace putting them to the sword. However, a Kepa blunder was the first domino to fall.

Arteta expressed his disappointment at the result and the missed opportunity to pick up a first piece of silverware for the campaign. He opined that they excelled in the first-half before teetering off in the second 45.

“It's painful when you get to a final, and you have that will to win the first trophy of a season after eight months working on it is always tough,” Arteta said, per the BBC.

“We had the best chance of the game to put it 1-0, and the game would be different. They had two shots and scored two goals.

"They were two different halves. The first half was very positive in every sense; the second half was a different one. You have to give credit to the opposition."

Addressing the choice to start Kepa, the Arsenal manager refused to fault the Basque shot-stopper nor his decision to start him.

"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."

Meanwhile, Arteta is facing intense backlash from furious supporters on social media following the club's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City for his decision to start Kepa.