Man City face defensive shake-up as key player joins Marc Guehi in missing Carabao Cup final against Arsenal

Dias has been ruled out of City's Carabao Cup final clash against Arsenal after suffering a hamstring injury. The centre-back was forced off at half-time during the club's recent Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid, and despite hopes of a quick recovery, he has failed to prove his fitness in time for Sunday’s showdown. The injury is a recurring nightmare for the 28-year-old, who has been plagued by similar issues throughout the 2026 campaign. Dias had already missed eight matches at the start of the calendar year and was left on the bench for the recent Premier League meeting with West Ham as a precaution. His absence leaves a leadership vacuum in a City side still reeling from their European disappointment.

Adding to Guardiola’s frustrations is the unavailability of January signing Marc Guehi. The England international, who joined from Crystal Palace in a high-profile move on January 19, is cup tied for the final. Under competition rules, Guehi is ineligible because he completed his move six days after City had already played the first leg of their semi-final victory over Newcastle United. Guardiola has been vocal in his criticism of the regulation, which has left him short-handed for the season's first major final

The combined loss of Dias and Guehi leaves City short of senior options. To make matters worse, Josko Gvardiol remains a long-term absentee after suffering a broken leg in January. While the Croatian is making progress, he is not expected to feature in the final, leaving the City backline looking unusually thin for such a high-stakes encounter. Arsenal, meanwhile, will view the news as a massive boost to their chances of lifting the trophy. Mikel Arteta’s side currently lead the Premier League and will be looking to exploit a makeshift City defence that has struggled for consistency in recent weeks.

City will be aiming to win silverware while also preventing the second successive campaign without a major trophy to their name. The pressure is on Guardiola to find a tactical solution to his depleted defensive ranks. With James Trafford confirmed to start in goal, the makeshift backline in front of him will need to be at their absolute best.