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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Jack Watson, Harry Latham-Coyle

Chelsea vs Man City: Pep Guardiola's men retain Carabao Cup title after beating Blues on penalties

Manchester City retained the English League Cup by beating Chelsea 4-3 on penalties after a bizarre climax to the Wembley showpiece on Sunday which saw Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refuse to be substituted.

Nothing could separate the sides as the match finished 0-0 after extra time but it was City who claimed the season's first major silverware as they won the shootout.

Raheem Sterling fired the decisive spot kick past Spaniard Arrizabalaga to complete the first part of what could be a quadruple for Pep Guardiola's side.

Arrizabalaga minutes earlier been involved in surely one of the strangest incidents in a Wembley final when he defied Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri's orders to come off in the closing minutes of extra time after appearing to be injured.

Sarri, who had told substitute keeper Willy Caballero to take over from Arrizabalaga, was left fuming in the technical area at the open show of mutiny by one of his players.

"It was a big misunderstanding because I understood the keeper had cramp and was unable to go to the penalties. But it was not cramp and he could go to the penalties," Sarri said.

To compound matters Arrizabalaga then dived over Sergio Aguero's weak penalty during the shootout.

He did save from Leroy Sane but when Chelsea's David Luiz struck the post with his spot kick, it was left to Sterling to smash his penalty high into the roof of the net and send the City fans into delirium after a tense afternoon.

Re-live the action below:

It's the Carabao Cup final! Chelsea take on Manchester City only two weeks after receiving a brutal beating by Pep Guardiola's men at the Etihad. Can Maurizio Sarri pull of a much-needed shock result to relieve some of the pressure on his shoulders? Harry will be along shortly with all the team news and build-up. In the meantime here's the latest from Guardiola:

The teams are in!

Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Rudiger, Emerson, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Willian, Hazard, Pedro.
 
Manchester City: Ederson, Zinchenko, Laporte, Otamendi, Walker, Fernandinho, Silva (C), De Bruyne, Bernardo, Sterling, Aguero.
A return to the false nine for Chelsea, then, with Eden Hazard back in a role he's perhaps become too familiar with this season. Emerson is preferred to Marcos Alonso, too, with the Spaniard not even on the bench.
 
Ederson starts for the first time in the Carabo Cup this season, replacing Arijanet Muric for the final for Manchester City.
 
Kick-off at Wembley is less than half-an-hour away...
 
This could be the first trophy of a quadruple-winning season for Manchester City, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Despite their recent success, Manchester City are yet to retain a trophy, but after their triumph here 12 months ago against Arsenal they have an excellent opportunity to do so today.
 
Given how they utterly took apart Chelsea just two weeks ago, they'll certainly have the psychological advantage...
 
This could prove to be Maurizio Sarri's final game as Chelsea manager.
 
The speculation around the Italian's future has intensified after a lacklustre exit from the FA Cup on Monday night, and they scratched rather than scintillated past Malmo in the Europa League.
 
A trophy would quieten the naysayers temporarily, but with a defeat and another disinterested, disjointed performance, Sarri could perhaps be on to pastures new rather more quickly than he'd have hoped.
 
Crises on and off the pitch, disquiet among fans and players alike about the manager and a recent 6-0 defeat to their opponents in the final are not the makings of a trophy-winning side by any means, and few are giving Chelsea a chance of winning this afternoon.
 
But Manchester City lost at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, and N'Golo Kante is confident his team can win today. 
 
Less than 15 minutes until kick-off at Wembley.
 
For Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, this could be the start of something very special, writes Miguel Delaney:
 
Confident?
 
Sizeable banners bearing the faces of some of the day's protagonists and the logo's of each side greet the players on to the Wembley surface.
 
A coordinated blue and white mosaic number from the Manchester City supporters, more disjointed waving of Chelsea scarves in their end.
Ah - the pomp and circumstance of a cup final.
 
A pleasant rendition of the national anthem.
 
There's a red carpet in front of the two lineups, for reason which are not fully apparent.
Jon Moss is the referee this afternoon.
 
The players exchange handshakes, hugs, whatever other methods of greeting are en vogue.
 
Maurizio Sarri in his trademark tracksuit, Pep Guardiola with a stylish grey crewneck and white t-shirt combination. Both look pensive as the players assemble for kick-off.
KICK OFF
The 2019 Carabao Cup final is underway.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 1 minute
 
Action right from the off.
 
Sergio Aguero collapses immediately as he looks to chase down Ross Barkley's pass back from the centre circle, a raised arm from Jorginho catching him.
 
The midfielder escapes further punishment, but it will be a Manchester City free kick.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 2 minutes
 
Manchester City build from there to win a corner, but Chelsea win the header and Jorginho sweeps the ball away.
 
Ederson mishits a clearance to Eden Hazard (playing centrally as anticipated) but the Belgian is unable to control the firmly struck lawn-trimmer, and Manchester City regain possession.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 3 minutes
 
Manchester City press Chelsea back early on.
 
Chelsea's high press caused such problems for Maurizio Sarri's side defensively two weeks ago, another appears to be more reticence in that regard on this occasion. Willian and Pedro are essentially forming a five, tucking in somewhat alongside the midfield three. 
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 4 minutes
 
Kevin De Bruyne is ubnable to retrieve an overhit pass as Manchester City look to move down the right.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 5 minutes
 
But Manchester City come down that channel again, this time Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero on the same page to effectively progress.
 
Aguero appeals for a penalty as his cross strikes a Chelsea defender but Jon Moss waves the appeal away, and Martin Atkinson, today's VAR operator, rules it doesn't warrant checking.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 7 minutes
 
Definitely a more withheld approach from Chelsea when Manchester City are in possession, smart given how their commitment to the press backfired at the Etihad.
 
Pedro and Cesar Azplicueta team up to prevent Raheem Sterling making progress down the left.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City, 8 minutes
 
Chelsea will run into problems with this method, though, particularly when they win the ball back.
 
N'Golo Kante is operating as the forward-most Chelsea player not named Eden Hazard and is desperately short of options as a loose Manchester City pass comes his way.

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