The Ultimate Loophole

The Carabao Cup final just got a whole lot spicier. Arsenal fans woke up to the news that Pep Guardiola will be prowling the touchline at Wembley this Sunday, completely bypassing his recent suspension. As The Mirror reported, the Manchester City boss is officially cleared to face Mikel Arteta because the FA ban doesn"t apply to the EFL.

You can imagine the meltdown on social media. Gunners supporters are absolutely raging across Reddit and X. It feels like typical City luck just when Arsenal needed every possible advantage going into a massive cup final.

A Baffling Rulebook

It"s honestly a glaring governance failure from English football. If a manager is punished for misconduct, why should the specific competition matter? The FA and EFL operating in completely different bubbles is a genuine joke, and it undermines the supposed severity of the two-match suspension.

Having Guardiola in the dugout changes the entire complexion of the game. Arteta knows exactly how his former mentor operates, but Pep"s ability to tweak systems mid-match is unmatched. You can read more about the specifics of the touchline clearance here, but expect the Arsenal end to make their feelings known from minute one.