The first silverware of the 2025–26 season will be decided on Sunday, as Arsenal face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Nine points separate the two sides at the top of the Premier League, with the Gunners strong favourites to secure their first league title since 2004.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side will back themselves in a one-off final – not only to claim a trophy, but also to strike a psychological blow against Arsenal ahead of the domestic run-in.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s final is the first hurdle for Mikel Arteta as his side hunt down the prospect of a remarkable quadruple this campaign.
But who has the edge historically between the two sides? Daily Mail Sport takes a look at the record between Guardiola and Arteta since the Spaniard’s arrival at the Emirates in 2020.
Man City 3-0 Arsenal, June 2020
After years of acting as Guardiola’s deputy at Man City, Arteta first went head-to-head with his former mentor in the summer of 2020, as football returned following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola first faced each other as managerial adversaries six years ago
City dominated Arsenal after the Gunners were reduced to 10 men, with David Luiz sent off in the 24th minute.
Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock, before Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden added to the scoring in the second half, marking a disappointing return to the Etihad for Guardiola’s former apprentice.
Arsenal 2-0 Man City, July 2020
It didn’t take long for Arsenal to claim revenge however, as Arteta guided Arsenal to a 2-0 win over City in the FA Cup semi-final.
Although City controlled most of the game, it was Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who netted a brace to send his side through to the final.
The Gunners went on to win the competition, beating Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley. It remains the only trophy Arteta has won at the Emirates ahead of Sunday.
Man City 1-0 Arsenal, October 2020
Just three months later, Manchester City claimed revenge with a narrow 1-0 win at the Etihad.
A first-half goal from Sterling proved the difference in a closely-fought contest, as the City winger pounced on a rebound after Bernd Leno parried Foden’s effort back into a dangerous area.
Arsenal 1-4 Man City, December 2020
A second defeat against City followed for Arsenal just two months later. Gabriel Jesus set the tone inside three minutes, nodding past Leno to hand City the lead, before Alexandre Lacazette drew Arsenal level with an equaliser on the half-hour mark.
But Guardiola’s side ran riot after the break, stunning the Gunners with three goals in 19 minutes from Riyad Mahrez, Foden, and Aymeric Laporte, firing City into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
The two managers’ early meetings were typified by Man City wins, such as in December 2020
Arsenal 0-1 Man City, February 2021
League leaders City maintained their 10-point lead at the top of the table with another tight win over Arsenal, thanks to yet another early goal from Sterling.
The Englishman broke the deadlock inside just two minutes. Mahrez clipped the ball to the back post and Sterling met the cross with a glancing header into the far corner.
Man City 5-0 Arsenal, August 2021
A disastrous start to the 2021–22 season saw Arsenal slump to the bottom of the Premier League table after conceding five goals to Guardiola’s City once again.
Thrashed 5-0 at the Etihad, Arsenal fell 2-0 behind inside 12 minutes before Granit Xhaka’s red card in the 35th minute compounded their problems.
Ferran Torres struck twice for City, while Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Rodri each added a goal.
Arsenal 1-2 Man City, January 2022
Fresh off a 10-game winning run in the 2021-22 season, City managed to make it 11 on the spin with a 2-1 victory over the Gunners, despite conceding first at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a sweeping finish past Ederson before Mahrez converted from 12 yards to level the scoring.
Rodri secured the win with a last-gasp goal to mark a fifth successive win over the north London club.
Rodri was the player to make sure that City got the better of Arsenal five times on the trot
Man City 1-0 Arsenal, January 2023
Guardiola’s side marched into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, courtesy of a Nathan Ake goal set up by £100million man Jack Grealish.
Arsenal, who were leading the Premier League at the time, fought hard for a result at the Etihad but fell away in the second half, allowing City to seize control of the tie.
Arsenal 1-3 Man City, February 2023
Just one month later, Arsenal hosted City at the Emirates in the Premier League for one of the most vital clashes between Guardiola and Arteta to date.
City’s 3-1 victory saw them leapfrog Arsenal to go top of the Premier League, taking a crucial advantage in the title race.
Guardiola’s side went ahead through Kevin De Bruyne before Saka restored parity for the Gunners.
Arsenal were unable to hold their nerve however, as second-half goals from Erling Haaland and Grealish fired City to the summit of the division.
Man City 4-1 Arsenal, April 2023
City wiped the floor with Arsenal in what was another crucial six-pointer in the 2022-23 title race.
After conceding twice to De Bruyne and once to John Stones, Arsenal gained a sliver of hope when Rob Holding reduced the deficit to two with a goal in the 85th minute.
They were unable to launch a fairytale comeback however, as Haaland put the game out of sight with another goal in injury time.
City eventually went on to win the Premier League title over Arsenal, before claiming a historic treble with FA Cup and Champions League glory against Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively.
The serial champions continued to get the better of their title-chasing opponents despite the Gunners growing in stature
Man City 1-1 Arsenal (1-4 on pens), August 2023
After the heartbreaking defeat that saw City go on to snatch the 2022–23 title, Arsenal responded emphatically. It remains the last time Arteta has lost to Pep Guardiola to date.
In the 2023 Community Shield, the Gunners took City to penalties after Leandro Trossard cancelled out Cole Palmer’s opener in the 11th minute of added time.
Arsenal went on to win 4–1 in the shootout, with Fabio Vieira rifling home the decisive spot-kick.
Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City, October 2023
Arteta’s side built on their Community Shield win thanks to a deflected goal from Gabriel Martinelli in the 86th minute.
Man City had chances to go ahead but were unable to convert, leaving them powerless in the face of Martinelli’s late effort.
The shot took a heavy deflection off Ake, wrong-footing Ederson who couldn’t prevent the goal.
The tables slowly began to turn in 2023, when back-to-back victories confirmed Arsenal as serious contenders
Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal, March 2024
The first goalless draw between Guardiola and Arteta came at the back end of the 2023-24 season.
In a sign of the way the tide was turning, Man City were on top and pushed for a late winner, but were unable to find the breakthrough.
Another point of pride for the Gunners might have been that it was the first time in 58 home matches that the Cityzens were unable to score.
But that would have been cold comfort to the Gunners, pushing for the title once again and in dire need of points before they eventually finished just two behind eventual champions City.
Manchester City 2-2 Arsenal, September 2024
Next season’s fixture provided a much more exciting scoreline, with Stones striking late to deny 10-man Arsenal from heading back to London with three points.
Haaland scored first, but City were pegged back by Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
It was only when Trossard was dismissed before half-time that Man City were able to clamber back into the tie, and whilst the Gunners almost held on, Stones spoiled the party in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City, February 2025
Arsenal’s Hale End academy played a huge part in this win, but it was captain Odegaard who gave Arsenal the lead.
Haaland made it 1-1 early in the second half but Thomas Partey put Arsenal back in front one minute later.
Goals from Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri helped the Gunners to their biggest ever victory over City – but the faint hope of catching runaway leaders Liverpool in the title race had already been all but snuffed out.
Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City, September 2025
The latest meeting saw Arteta become the first manager to ever go five league games unbeaten against Guardiola.
The hosts fell behind early on, when Haaland slotted home past David Raya.
However, super-sub Martinelli rescued a point for Arsenal in the 93rd minute with a looping finish over Gianluigi Donnarumma.
