Pep heaps praise on old guard after Arsenal win

LONDON - Pep Guardiola's League Cup triumph over Arsenal looks set to usher in a new era of dominance for Manchester City, but he had three old boys to thank for Sunday's 3-0 win at Wembley.

City was not at its best in a scrappy first half on a cold afternoon, failing to reproduce the swashbuckling soccer it has become renowned for this term.

The highlight of a cagey first period was an oddity of a strike from Sergio Aguero, who netted his 199th City goal direct from a punt downfield by goalkeeper Claudio Bravo - a rare sighting from a Guardiola side.