Manchester City icon Micah Richards believes that Mikel Arteta’s decision to continue with Piero Hincapie was a factor in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat in the EFL Cup final on Sunday (March 22).
In the 2025-26 EFL Cup final, Arsenal were dominated by Manchester City at Wembley Stadium. The Premier League leaders allowed two second-half goals, both scored by Nico O’Reilly after the hour mark.
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Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was responsible for O’Reilly’s first goal, as he mishandled a cross in the 60th minute. Richards pointed out that Hincapie’s role at left-back gave Rayan Cherki the opportunity to deliver the cross from the right flank.
On ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Richards argued that Hincapie should have been substituted well before he was taken off in the 65th minute. He commented (h/t Arsenal Insider):
“I’ve been in that position, when you have a yellow card as a defender, you take away all your attributes. Hincapie, his attributes, he reads the game well, he’s aggressive, but he gets out to people quickly.”
The 2011-12 Premier League title-winning defender further stated:
“And for the goal, I think, if he hadn’t been on a yellow card, he would have gone to the ball. That’s where I think Arteta got it wrong in the game, when you’ve got left-backs on the bench, you have to use them.”
O’Reilly’s second goal came in the 64th minute, after which Arteta replaced Hincapie with Riccardo Calafiori. However, the change failed to alter the outcome, leaving Arsenal fans disappointed.
Arsenal Star Urged to Switch Positions After Poor EFL Cup Final Performance
Former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur player Jamie Redknapp has suggested that Bukayo Saka should try a different position to enhance his performance. He mentioned on Sky Sports (h/t Metro):
“The player that I feel right now who isn’t performing to the level that he can is Saka. Of late, I haven’t seen that sort of guile and imagination and skill and goals that we need to see from him and he’s got Max Dowman breathing down his neck, Noni Madueke can play down that right-hand side as well. I think maybe even playing down the left sometimes (can help) Saka.”
Saka, who wore the captain’s armband, delivered a below-par performance in the EFL Cup final. He completed 11 of his 15 passes, took three shots, and won only six of his 16 total duels against Pep Guardiola’s squad.
This season, the left-footed winger has accumulated nine goals and seven assists over 42 matches for Arsenal.
Edited by Debkalpa Banerjee
