As reported by The Express, Arsenal is set to welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium tonight for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. The Gunners currently hold a narrow 3-2 aggregate lead, but the London rivalry remains on a knife-edge as the “away goals” rule is not in effect for this competition, meaning any one-goal win for Chelsea would force extra time.
Mikel Arteta’s side is looking to reach their first Carabao Cup final in eight years, while Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior is aiming to overturn the first-leg deficit to continue his impressive start at Stamford Bridge. The match is expected to be a tactical battle, with both teams likely to field strong lineups given the proximity to a Wembley final.
Recent Premier League form suggests a tight contest; while Arsenal leads the table, Chelsea has shown resilience under Rosenior, recently coming back from 2-0 down to win in league play. The atmosphere at the Emirates will be electric as fans expect a “red-hot” London derby under the lights.
* Arsenal.com: “Mikel Arteta says: ‘Tomorrow we are going to have people who really need to create the atmosphere… that we are going to do it.’”
* The Guardian: “Liam Rosenior admits ‘Arsenal are favourites for the tie’ but remains confident in Chelsea’s resurgent form.”
Echotitbits take:
This is a defining moment for Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea project. If he can knock out the league leaders on their own turf, it signals that Chelsea is officially “back.” For Arsenal, failure to progress with a home advantage and a lead would be a massive psychological blow to their quadruple ambitions.
Source: The Express — https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/2166067/arsenal-chelsea-carabao-cup-rules February 3, 2026
Photo Credit: The Express
