Former Arsenal forward Charlie Nicholas has claimed that Sunday's EFL Cup final will play a key role in the future of boss Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners will face Manchester City in the showpiece event this weekend as the two teams lock horns in a battle to secure the first major trophy of the 2017-18 campaign.

Arsenal are currently sixth in the Premier League table, while they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest in the third round.

The London club are still active in the Europa League as they prepare to face AC Milan in the round of 16, but Nicholas has insisted that the EFL Cup is absolutely vital to Wenger's future at the helm.

"It is massive for Arsene Wenger," Nicholas told Sky Sports News. "If everybody is fit then he will finally pick his strongest ever line-up to play in a League Cup game because the profile of this competition is where his team are at right now.

"It is way bigger for Arsenal than Manchester City, even before their quadruple hopes were ended. People would have argued that City going for the quadruple would have made it more significant but Pep Guardiola's future doesn't depend on it.

"I think if Arsene doesn't win this or the Europa League then it will be a very different summer. The fans have been split down the middle for some time, but the voices asking whether this club is where it should be can say a undoubted 'no' if Arsenal don't win anything.

"At least if they win then there's an argument back to saying what is being achieved under Wenger, with those backing him at least able to say he's still winning trophies."

Arsenal have not lifted the League Cup trophy since overcoming Sheffield Wednesday in the 1993 final.