- Manchester City won the Carabao Cup on Sunday
- Nathan Ake played the full 90 minutes
- The Dutchman has described the win as ‘very special’
Manchester City have won the Carabao Cup and according to Nathan Ake, there is a reason this triumph means even more than usual.
Lots of pundits were backing Arsenal to win the Carabao Cup final, due to their form in the Premier League compared with Manchester City’s.
This mindset became even greater when the news about Ruben Dias’ injury emerged, meaning Pep Guardiola would have to select Nathan Ake.
However, the Dutchman did not let his team down and he was particularly impressive defending aerial balls.
Ake is obviously delighted to have been part of the starting lineup who won the final and there is one reason why this one is extra special.
Nathan Ake describes why Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win is special
Man City’s victory on Sunday was more than just a result. It was the first time the club have won a major trophy in two years.
For Ake, this makes the triumph taste even sweeter and the fact he and his teammates defeated Arsenal to win it was another big plus point.
“It’s very special,” Ake told Sky Sports. “Last season, we didn’t win anything, so we wanted to win something this season. And I think this was the perfect way to do it, against title contenders. It was a good win.
“We are expected to win things, we expect that from ourselves. Last year was disappointing, so this year we wanted to do well. If you are here [in a cup final], you want to win it. Very happy,” he added.
Ake will be hoping to start more often for Man City
Man City’s veteran defender has shown he still has the quality required to play in the first-team, but he has only really been starting in cup competitions of late.
Since the start of February, Ake has played only three minutes of Premier League football, indicating he is no longer viewed as an important player by Guardiola.
Despite this, it could be that Ake is given more opportunities based on what his manager saw at the weekend. Plus, the fact he can play as a central defender and a left-back boosts his chances for sure.
