Tomorrow afternoon, Wembley hosts the kind of fixture that defines seasons. Arsenal against Manchester City, a Carabao Cup final, the first piece of silverware on offer in English football this year, and the chance for this squad to win something tangible together for the first time. The build-up has been dominated by injury news and goalkeeper debates, which is a shame, because the actual football case for Arsenal winning this is considerably more interesting than either of those conversations.

Mikel Arteta confirmed on Saturday that Eberechi Eze, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino are all unavailable. Eze picked up the calf injury in the second half against Leverkusen on Tuesday, having scored the opening goal. Timber's ankle problem dates back to the Everton game last weekend. Odegaard has now missed seven consecutive matches with his knee issue, and Merino has been sidelined for several weeks. It is a significant chunk of the squad to be without for a major final.

Arteta has answered those absences as directly as he can. Ben White starts at right back, Kai Havertz operates as the number ten, and Bukayo Saka captains the side in Odegaard's absence. Havertz is a polarising selection among supporters, but he scored the winner for Chelsea against this same City side in the 2021 Champions League final. He knows what it takes to perform against Guardiola's team in the biggest moments, which is not a trivial point.

City are not without their own problems. Ruben Dias has picked up a hamstring injury and is absent, leaving Nathan Ake to partner Abdukodir Khusanov in central defence. Guardiola has gone with James Trafford in goal, the same logic as Arteta using Kepa: he has played every round and earned his place.

Arsenal have not lost to Manchester City in six consecutive meetings across all competitions. That run includes victories home and away in the league, a Champions League group stage match, and two cup ties. City's last win against us came in April 2023 in the league run-in, a result that effectively handed them the title that year. Since then, the balance of power in this fixture has shifted, and tomorrow is the latest opportunity to demonstrate it on the biggest possible stage.

Rayan Cherki is the City player who most concerns me. The young Frenchman has been involved in four goals in four League Cup appearances this season, and his movement between the lines is the kind of problem that Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice will need to solve early. City have also been effective through Doku on the left channel, and with Timber absent and Hincapie at left back, that is the area I would expect Guardiola to target.

Erling Haaland has not scored in six Wembley appearances for Manchester City. That is his record, not a prediction, and records have a habit of ending at the worst possible moment, but it is worth noting nonetheless.

Arsenal's last trophy was the FA Cup in 2020, lifted at an empty Wembley with no supporters in the ground. Six years is a long time, and this squad has earned the right to win something in front of a full stadium. There are 31,939 Arsenal supporters at Wembley tomorrow. They deserve a result.

The league is the priority and everyone at the club knows it. But winning cup finals when you have the chance is part of what separates genuine title-winning sides from those that finish the season having promised much and delivered one trophy fewer than they should have. We have the chance tomorrow. We should take it.