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Pep Guardiola's Goalkeeper Dilemma: Trafford to Start Over Donnarumma in Carabao Cup Final

Pep Guardiola has made a surprising decision to start Trafford over Donnarumma in goal for Man City in the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. This move has raised questions about the English goalkeeper's future at the club.

Pep Guardiola's Goalkeeper Dilemma: Trafford to Start Over Donnarumma in Carabao Cup Final

Pep Guardiola has officially confirmed his starting goalkeeper for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley. While Gianluigi Donnarumma has been the preferred choice in the Premier League, a surprise name will take the gloves for the season's first piece of silverware.Trafford is set to start in goal for Man City as they face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. Despite returning from Burnley to find himself playing second fiddle to Italy international Donnarumma, the 23-year-old has been given the nod for the trip to Wembley. The decision comes amid growing speculation regarding the Englishman's future. Guardiola remained cryptic about whether Trafford will remain at the club beyond the summer, suggesting that the goalkeeper's focus must remain solely on the task at hand.Trafford recently admitted he did not expect to be behind Donnarumma in the pecking order this season. When questioned about these comments, Guardiola remained firm on his selection policy while acknowledging the player's potential dissatisfaction."Players can be happy, unhappy. it is what it is," Guardiola said. "They have to be here to do the best they can do and after we will see what happens at the end of the season. The important thing is they have to be ready."This match could have a mental impact on the team in the Premier League title race, but Guardiola said he wasn't sure whether Sunday's win would help City get back into the title race. "I don't know," the City boss said. "I said before, of course winning helps just for the fact that winning helps. We can win on Sunday and then be bad in the league. I learned that in many competitions and many games with a short time of recovery you have to have the ability to forget and move forwards."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingFollowing the final at Wembley, City will then prepare to face Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals after the international break. After that, Guardiola's men will return to focus on the Premier League, where they sit second with 61 points from 30 matches, nine points behind leaders Arsenal. The Cityzens will be looking to secure the remaining title they could still be chasing, having recently been eliminated in the Champions League round of 16 by Real Madrid.

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Decision to Start Trafford Over Donnarumma

In a surprising turn of events, Pep Guardiola has chosen to start Trafford instead of Donnarumma in goal for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Despite Donnarumma being the preferred choice in the Premier League, Guardiola has opted to go with Trafford for the season's first piece of silverware.

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Guardiola's Comments on Trafford's Future

Guardiola's decision to start Trafford has sparked speculation about the goalkeeper's future at the club. The City boss remained cryptic about whether Trafford would stay beyond the summer, emphasizing the need for the player to focus on the task at hand.

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Guardiola's Response to Trafford's Comments

Trafford recently expressed surprise at finding himself playing second fiddle to Donnarumma this season. When asked about this, Guardiola stood by his selection policy, stressing the importance of players being ready to perform regardless of their place in the team.

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Impact on Title Race and Future Fixtures

Guardiola acknowledged that the outcome of the Carabao Cup final could have a mental impact on the team's performance in the Premier League title race. Following the final, City will shift their focus to the FA Cup quarter-finals against Liverpool before returning to league action.

Published on Mar 21, 2026