Arsenal vs. Manchester City prediction, odds, picks for EFL Cup final on Sunday, March 22

SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer offers up his best bets for the Arsenal vs. Man City Carabao Cup final on Sunday, March 22

The top two English Premier League title contenders go after some silverware Sunday when Arsenal and Manchester City face off for the Carabao Cup title at Wembley Stadium. The Gunners lead the EPL by nine points over City and have not lost in their past 14 games in all competitions. Man City is 1-2-2 in its matches this month, including being swept out of the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid. Arsenal, who bounced Bayer Leverkusen from the UCL on Tuesday, edged Chelsea 1-0 on Feb. 3 to get here. City eased past Newcastle 3-1 in its EFL Cup semifinal.

Sunday's kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. ET in London. The Gunners are +130 favorites (wager $100 to win $130) in the latest Arsenal vs. Manchester City Carabao Cup final odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. City are +205 underdogs (wager $100 to win $205) and a draw is priced at +215.The total for match goals is 2.5 (Over +100, Under -125). Before you make any EFL Cup bets of your own on Manchester City vs. Arsenal, you have to see what SportsLine expert Jon Eimer ihas to say.

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Eimer finished 2023 as SportsLine's No. 1 soccer expert, posting a 248-234-12 record (+25.93 units) on SportsLine article picks. Eimer has been red-hot in 2025, posting a profit in multiple leagues, including the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and more. Anyone following his soccer betting picks could have seen huge returns at sportsbooks and on betting apps. 

Here are Eimer's best bets and analysis for Arsenal vs. Manchester City on Sunday.

Arsenal vs. Manchester City best bets

• Arsenal to Lift the Trophy (-135, 1 unit)
• Arsenal Over 1.5 Team Total (+115, 1 unit)

The Psychological Battle

It's not very often we get a cup final between the two best teams in the same league. While on paper, this looks like a battle for a bit of silverware and some bragging rights, there's much more at stake here, whether teams want to admit it or not. These clubs are still in a title race. 

Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table, nine points ahead of Manchester City, but City have a game in hand. These clubs also have to face each other one more time this season in league play. Winning this cup will give that club a massive psychological upper hand as the teams go into an exhausting end of the season. Both clubs know this game will have an impact on the Premier League.

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Arsenal's Incredible Form and City's Struggles

There's not many teams in the world that can boast a positive record against a team managed by Pep Guardiola. Arsenal are one of the few teams that can. 

The last six times these clubs have played over the past two years, Arsenal have either won or drawn in all six of those matches, including a 1-1 draw and a 5-1 win over City in 2025. The Gunners are unbeaten in 14 matches across all competitions, and Arsenal just took down a tough Leverkusen side to advance in Champions League. 

While Arsenal is soaring, Manchester City is floundering. The Citizens were just embarrassed by Real Madrid in Champions League play, losing both legs, and sandwiched between these losses, they drew to West Ham. Manchester City will also be without their starting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

I would never say beating Manchester City will be easy, but I will say I whole-heartedly believe this is Arsenal's year.