Tijjani Reijnders believes winning the League Cup final can give Manchester City momentum to take the title race down to the wire with Arsenal.
City take on The Gunners in Sunday's showpiece at Wembley looking to secure the first major silverware of the season.
Arsenal are in pole position in the Premier League, leading City by nine points having played a game more than their rivals.
Dutch international Reijnders said "it's a really important trophy for us" and believes victory on Sunday can be the catalyst for City to claw back Arsenal's lead in the title race.
“Any chance to win silverware means a lot, especially at this stage of the season when momentum is so important," the City midfielder said.
"A final is always a big occasion, and lifting a cup can give us a lot of confidence and extra boost going into the rest of the campaign. We know how tough this game is, but this is what we’re here for – to compete for titles and to play in these big occasions."
With regards to what impact beating Arsenal could have on the title race, Reijnders added: “We have to focus on ourselves. There are still a lot of games to play, and we know we need to keep pushing every week. We have to be consistent and maintain the same level in every game. The standard in the league is incredibly high, but if we stay together and focus on one game at a time, we’ll give ourselves the best possible chance.”
Sunday's final is an occasion City know well, having won the League Cup five times in the past 10 years, although the last of those came in 2021.
Though many in Pep Guardiola's squad are used to winning trophies with the club, for many, including Reijnders, Sunday's final offers new recruits a first taste of success.
"We’ve got players who are experiencing their first season – including myself – others who haven’t played in a final before, so it’s a brilliant chance to feel what it’s like to win something, especially at Wembley. You can see how much it means to everyone – we’re all very hungry and want to experience that winning feeling,” added Reijnders, who joined City from AC Milan last summer.
The two sides met earlier in the season – a 1-1 draw – and Reijnders believes Sunday's final will come down to fine margins. The 27-year-old has become a key component of Guardiola's squad, and he believes concentration will be key and that City's supporters have a huge part to play.
“It’s about controlling emotions and sticking to what we know best," he said. "The key for us will be playing our way, staying calm and working for each other.
"It’ll be my first time playing at Wembley and to do it with City is something I’m really proud of. I can’t wait to play in front of the City fans too – I heard more than 35,000 of them will be there, which is amazing. Hopefully we can make it a special day for them.”
