'We were lucky' - Man City star explains how Cityzens orchestrated Arsenal's downfall

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva reflected on his side's composure and tactical discipline after their 2-0 triumph over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

Silva credited City’s patience, smart positioning, and ability to exploit Arsenal’s energy dip as key factors in securing the victory.

Silva admitted the first quarter-hour was challenging, with Arsenal creating a dangerous chance saved by James Trafford.

“The first 15 minutes felt difficult, they were able to create a big chance where James Trafford was amazing for us. Second half we tried to go for them a bit more. We felt they lost a bit of energy and when we felt that we had to go even more for them,” Silva explained.

He highlighted how Nico O'Reilly exploited the space in Arsenal’s box to open the scoring, saying, “We were lucky to score the first one and when we are on top we can find the spaces.”

Silva emphasised the importance of maintaining composure, stating, “In a final you know both teams are going to have momentum… we have the firepower to go for them as well.”

Beyond individual brilliance, Silva praised the squad’s cohesion and collective discipline to claim their first silverware of the season.

“With the players we had today, our job was to give as much stability as possible to the team. We wanted to stay stable, stay compact, not make stupid mistakes. Overall it was a very good performance,” he said.

He also stressed his personal role, adding, “I try to help the team as much as possible. I know how the manager wants to play and I always try my best. Beating this team is not easy, they are a fantastic side.”

The victory marks another milestone for City in domestic cup competitions, making them the most successful club in the new Wembley Stadium and making manager, Pep Guardiola, the most successful coach in the history of the EFL Cup.