Pep Guardiola believes Sunday’s League Cup final against Arsenal is the acid test of his side’s “level” as Manchester City aim to get their season back on track.

City were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid for the third consecutive year in midweek and have fallen nine points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners are going for their first trophy in six years at Wembley as Mikel Arteta’s men remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple of the League Cup, FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League.

City, however, suffered their first trophyless campaign for eight seasons last term.

“We have got to Wembley 22 times in 10 years, it’s an honour and a big challenge,” said City manager Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “For the team it’s a big moment.

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“They (Arsenal) are an exceptional team, it’s a big challenge for us to see our level.”

City have a game in hand on Arsenal in the Premier League and home advantage when the sides meet again next month.

But Guardiola is unsure whether lifting the first silverware of the season will have an effect on the title race.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Of course winning helps, just for the fact that winning helps. We can win the competition on Sunday and after in the league it is going the opposite (way).

“I learned that when there are many competitions and many games in a short time of recovery — Champions League, FA Cups, Carabao (League) Cups, Premier League — you have to have the ability to forget and move forward in the good and the bad moments.”

Guardiola confirmed James Trafford will start in goal in place of Gianluigi Donnarumma as he has for all City’s domestic cup games so far this season.

AFP