Pep and Man City receive unfortunate news regarding the Carabao Cup championship.

The English Football Association appointing referee Peter Bankes to officiate the Carabao Cup final is causing Man City great anxiety, due to some harsh "jinx" statistics from the past.

The intensity of the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley this coming Sunday (22/3) is rising hour by hour. Not only is it a clash between two top forces, this match also attracts special attention after the EFL announced the referee team.

The name Peter Bankes being announced as the main referee immediately sparked mixed public reactions, particularly a wave of anxiety enveloping the blue half of Manchester.

Looking at Peter Bankes' refereeing history, Man City fans have reason to believe in an ominous "omen." In the 12 matches officiated by this referee, Man City won only 6 but lost as many as 5 - an extremely high failure rate for Pep Guardiola's team. Notably, Bankes himself once issued a red card disqualifying John Stones in the past.

Conversely, Arsenal considers Peter Bankes a "lucky charm." In the 14 matches where this referee was in charge, the Gunners secured 10 victories and lost only 3. Notably, Arsenal has never received any red card under his supervision. The most horrific memory for Man City is the disastrous 1-5 defeat against Arsenal at Emirates last season - the match where Peter Bankes himself was the referee.

Besides the referee "omen," the actual form is also favoring Mikel Arteta's team. Arsenal is experiencing a streak of 14 consecutive unbeaten matches. with a scientific style of play and excellent dueling ability. The coordination between Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard is at its peak, ready to punish any mistake from the opponent's defense.

Meanwhile, Man City is sinking deeper into crisis. Being eliminated from the Champions League after two consecutive defeats has dealt a heavy blow to the players' morale. Key striker Erling Haaland is losing his killer instinct, putting the creative burden heavily on the shoulders of newcomer Cherki.

Despite possessing explosive elements like Doku or Semenyo, facing David Raya's "steel" defensive system, Man City's chances to penetrate are very slim.

Former star Gabby Agbonlahor predicts this will be a "fiery" match and Peter Bankes will face tremendous pressure to keep the players' heads cool. For Arsenal, victory at Wembley is not just the first title in their ambition to "win four," but also a confirmation of their new royal status.

For Man City, if they cannot overcome the "Peter Bankes jinx," they face the risk of ending this season completely empty-handed.