If you are reading this, you survived “The Weekend the Quadruple Died,” aka the weekend the dream of the treble was born – an achievement both Arsenal and City fans can chase with equal ardor. The truth is the Carabao Cup is a tchotchke. However, its symbolism amidst this bum-clenching title race weighs heavily. Indeed, with City nine points back with a game in hand, and Arsenal still to host, we are about to find out this: What is the blast radius of a Carabao Cup loss? The international break cannot have come at a worse time for Mikel Arteta. The media will now fill the vacuum by stepping up the narrative that this Arsenal team do not know how to close and win. The manager and the squad must now dig deep, withstand a gauntlet of doubt and prove the haters wrong once again. 

The lasting memory of the City win was watching Pep Guardiola react. He charged down the sideline after the second goal like a José Mourinho tribute band. I think part of it was release: the tabloid drumbeat of a second straight Pep trophyless year lanced. But Guardiola is a very calculated man. He knows the power of a moment, and the power of the white-hot heat of narrative spectacle. He was signaling that Arsenal are vulnerable. He was reinforcing “the B word.” He was conducting the “Second Again, Olé Olé.” chant. The countdown to the Sunday, April 19, City-Arsenal clash has begun… 🏆

ii. This Friday night, March 27, we will take the stage live in ATLANTA with Big Boi and Clint Dempsey amongst our many guests. Not only will the OutKast icon himself sit down with us for our World Cup countdown show, but to be joined by Clint as well will be a cultural crossover that is sure to be nothing short of magical. Grab your tickets here. 🍑

iii. TAMPA BAY - SAVE THE DATE! We can't wait to head to your city on April 17 for Men in Blazers Live from Tampa Bay, presented by Verizon. Joined by a cast of luminous guests, we'll revel in the magic of the Premier League, shoulder to shoulder with this city’s vibrant footballing faithful. Join us here. 🏝️

iv. With six World Cup spots left to claim, this is a massive week for the 22 countries still vying for their chance at glory. We'll have two previews for the qualifiers dropping this week on our YouTube, starting Wednesday with my dear friends, Rory Smith and James Horncastle. On Thursday, we have a special episode with Icelandic dentist and manager of the Republic of Ireland, Heimir Hallgrímsson. Tune in to get up to speed on the matches this week and to hear about Heimir's first experience with Guinness after that Troy Parrott hat-trick. 📺

v. There were a lot of fantastic goals from around the world this weekend, but these three take the cake:

First, let’s head to the Championship where Southampton’s Shea Charles lobbed this one in from WAY downtown. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Next, an immensely satisfying, bending strike from AC Milan center-back Strahinja Pavlović. Like watching Shaq shoot a three. 🇮🇹

Lastly, honest question: Is this the weirdest goal… ever? This finish from Croatia’s Hrvatska Nogometna Liga has to be seen to be believed. 🇭🇷

vi. If you’re a fan of U.S. and New York City history, you are going to love France’s World Cup away kits. 🗽

Courage,
ROG

P.S. - This reaction shot is art in its purest form. 📸

By Tommy Stewart & Jacob Schneider

Carabao Cup Final: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City 🏆

Both James Trafford and Kepa Arrizabalaga live in the shadows of giants, but this tale of two goalkeepers cast City’s backup as a hero after his early double-save allowed his side to build a platform for victory. Sadly the same can’t be said of Kepa, who wrote a new chapter in his cursed relationship with this match when he fumbled Rayan Cherki’s cross to hand Nico O’Reilly the easiest of headers into an empty net to celebrate his 21st birthday weekend in singular fashion. The local lad’s as City as Oasis, and he pounced again minutes later with a second header that left Arsenal stupefied and Pep sprinting down the touchline quicker than he has since his playing days. Arteta’s proclivity for caution was punished, and although his side badly missed the string-pulling ability of Eberechi Eze, in “Whiplash” fashion, he was ultimately taught a lesson by his old master.

Arteta’s Loyalty Haunts Him 🫣

It’s become customary in the Carabao Cup for Premier League teams to select their reserve goalkeepers, but if Arsenal are serious about sweeping up silverware this season, Mikel Arteta might have thought differently about picking Kepa at Wembley yesterday. As one of the world’s best keepers, David Raya, watched helplessly from the bench, his Spanish compatriot’s nerves permeated throughout the team, and while Pep employed the same methodology, James Trafford doesn’t carry the same scars as Kepa. Arteta’s loyalty and positivity are some of his best traits, but it wouldn’t be surprising if his former boss had whispered like Logan to Kendall Roy after yesterday’s game: “You’re not a killer.”

Pep’s Hungrier Than Ever 📈

In 10 years at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has won all five League Cup finals he’s led his side into, but the way he celebrated yesterday’s victory was as passionate as we’ve ever seen the Catalonian genius. He booted the advertising boards like a suave Stone Cold Steve Austin when O’Reilly scored the first, suffocated his players with love and embraced his daughter in an empty Wembley Stadium, reminding us how much all of this means to him. Guardiola also knows the psychological boost this will give his side as they head towards the Premier League homestretch on the heels of Arteta’s three-time bridesmaid Arsenal side. 

Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest

Any momentum Igor Tudor’s Tottenham Hotspur side gathered in their draw to Liverpool and win against Atlético Madrid was shattered by both Nottingham Forest and themselves in yesterday’s potentially fatal relegation six-pointer. Igor Jesus gut-punched them on the verge of halftime and summer target Morgan Gibbs-White poetically put away the second, before Taiwo Awoniyi emptied Spurs’ soulless palace before the death. While Vítor Pereira’s Forest showed fight and quality epitomized by Elliot Anderson’s midfield masterclass, Tottenham’s state was summarized by captain Cristian Romero, who called his side’s situation “painful” post-match. They’ve broken a 91-year record in a 13-game winless streak that’s frankly become an uncomfortable watch. If this season were a boxing match, the white towel would have been thrown into the ring yesterday. 

More: The many faces of Tottenham fan disappointment.

Bournemouth 2-2 Manchester United

There are few guarantees in this life, but Bruno Fernandes converting a penalty, as he did to put his side up under the seaside lights on Friday, currently feels surefire, as does his place on the pantheon of Premier League greats. VAR was unfortunately the main character at the Vitality Stadium, which is like C-3PO leading “Star Wars,” and Manchester United felt aggrieved that Amad Diallo was not given a penalty in a passage of play that led to Ryan Christie’s equalizing goal. Harry Maguire marked his England recall by first celebrating a goal that wasn’t his and then clumsily seeing red to hand 19-year-old Junior Kroupi his ninth goal of the season via a penalty. Not even Michael Carrick’s ascendent United can expect anything more than a point against Andoni Iraola’s stubborn side, who draw more than Picasso, with this their eighth in an 11 game unbeaten Premier League run.

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool

Arne Slot’s Reds’ turbulent tumble in 2026 continued, becoming the first reigning champions since Chelsea in 2017/18 to lose 10 Premier League matches in one campaign. Their top-four hopes are fading fast; as is faith in the Dutch manager as the season comes to a close. Thirty-five-year-old Danny Welbeck, meanwhile, continued his ridiculously impressive scoring campaign for the Seagulls with a brace, bringing his season total to 12. Despite being the highest-scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season, the forward was snubbed from Thomas Tuchel’s England roster for the March window, but he responded in the best way possible with this showing. Should he be on the plane this summer?

Everton 3-0 Chelsea

It has been so long since watching Everton felt so bloody good. Chelsea had all the possession, 61% in the first half, and they did almost nothing with it. A determined, organized Everton stung them and took advantage of their propensity to defend brittly. James Garner, freshly called up to England for the first time, unfurled a perfectly weighted through ball to a speeding Beto for his first of two on the day. Lord of the Rave Jordan Pickford clocked another save-of-the-season-contender and Iliman Ndiaye added an absolute poem for the third to deliver the first back-to-back wins ever at the Hill Dickinson. 

Chelsea, my lord, to be slaughtered by PSG is one thing. To be thumped by Everton is another. For the first time in 33 years, Chelsea Football Club have lost four in a row. We knew that Liam Rosenior was truly going to be tested in a time of challenge, how he reacted to adversity, but this has been like watching one of those Road Runner cartoons were Wile E. Coyote falls off a cliff but his legs keep running in the air for 10 paces before he plummets into free fall. It is looking more and more like Rosenior’s five-game good run was the death rattle of Maresca’s muscle memory, and all that has happened since is darkness. -ROG

Elsewhere in the Premier League: Fulham 3-1 Burnley, Leeds 0-0 Brentford, Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland, Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham

🇪🇸 La Liga: Federico Valverde loves a red card against Atlético Madrid like Martin Scorsese loves Leo. The Uruguayan scored Los Blancos’ second and was promptly sent off for a harsh tackle just over 20 minutes later as Real Madrid defeated Atleti 3-2 in El Derbi Madrileño. Vinícius Júnior scored an emphatic second-half brace for the victors, while Nahuel Molina bagged yet another goal of the season contender for Diego Simeone’s side, though they ultimately fell short despite the man-advantage late. Lamine Yamal and Barcelona also picked up three points in a win over Rayo Vallecano, with the Blaugrana maintaining their four-point lead at the top of the table.

🇮🇹 Serie A: A big top-four shakeup in Italy as Como thumped Pisa 5-0 to leapfrog Juventus in the standings as the Bianconeri were held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo. AC Milan won big, and although Christian Pulisic didn’t end his months-long scoring slump, he did bag an assist as the Rossoneri won a five-goal thriller over Torino to move up to second. League-leaders Inter are winless in three, drawing with relegation-contenders Fiorentina yesterday, meaning just six points now separates the two arch-rivals that call the San Siro home.

🇩🇪 Bundesliga: Bayern Munich did Bavarian giant football things once again, smashing Union Berlin 4-0 with both Michael Olise and Harry Kane landing on the scoresheet. Though it’s far too early to even be having the conversation, it’s worth mentioning both are on Ballon d’Or watch come this fall. Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, came from behind to score three unanswered as they bested Hamburger SV 3-2.

World Cup Qualifying - Playoff Tournament 🌍

Bolivia vs. Suriname (Thursday, 6 p.m. ET, FS1)

Bolivia are searching for their first World Cup appearance since 1994, with the CONMEBOL side being led by star Santos forward Miguel Terceros. Suriname, meanwhile, are setting sail toward their maiden voyage to the tournament, with Mainz’s Sheraldo Becker leading the line. The winners will face Iraq on March 31, and the victor of that match will join the Group of Death™️ this summer alongside France, Norway and Senegal.

New Caledonia vs. Jamaica (Thursday, 11 p.m. ET, FS1)

The Pacific Island nation, located northwest of New Zealand, is searching for its first World Cup berth, while the Reggae Boyz are aiming for a return to the world’s stage, led by Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey. The winner of this match will play Congo DR on March 31, with that victor then joining Group K this summer alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.

UEFA World Cup Qualifiers 🇪🇺

Italy vs. Northern Ireland (Thursday, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix)

Four-time winners Italy have slept in for the last three World Cups, so Gennaro Gattuso’s talent-heavy but too often “maybe sh*t” side will be expected to bypass a Northern Ireland squad largely made up of EFL journeymen.

Ukraine vs. Sweden (Thursday, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix) 

Graham Potter was hoisted into the Sweden job with the mission of securing World Cup qualification with a talented attacking pool that includes Anthony Elanga and Viktor Gyökeres, but in six meetings, they’ve only defeated Ukraine once.

Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland (Thursday, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix) 

“The Ballad of Troy Parrott“ will forever be sung across the Green Isle, but his miraculous hat-trick against Hungary to sneak Ireland into the playoffs will only truly matter if they’re partying in the USA this summer.

This week’s question: During construction of the new Wembley stadium from 2001-2007, what stadium played home to the EFL Cup final?

Email us with your answer for a chance to win a much-coveted MiB patch!

Last week’s winner: Congratulations to Justin Hernandez, who was the first to correctly answer that Karim Benzema is the top goalscorer with six goals in Real Madrid and Manchester City's modern UCL Clásico. Your patch is in the post, Justin.

👋 We’ll see you on Wednesday. In the meantime, keep sending your stories and questions to [email protected].

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