A new era begins at Stamford Bridge tonight as Liam Rosenior makes his home debut in the Chelsea dugout. He faces the relentless momentum of Premier League leaders Arsenal in a high-stakes Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
Rosenior made history on Saturday with a 5-1 thrashing of Charlton, the biggest debut win for any Chelsea manager. However, he now faces the ultimate test against an Arsenal side unbeaten in their last nine matches against the Blues. Mikel Arteta’s men hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League and are desperate for silverware.
They aim to end a six-year trophy drought, starting with a competition where they suffered semi-final heartbreak last season. With the first leg in west London, Chelsea must break a “Bridge Jinx” to secure an advantage. Remarkably, the Blues have gone winless in their last six home meetings against their north London rivals.
Chelsea vs Arsenal – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- VAR: Jarred Gillett
- Last Meeting: Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal, 30 November 2025, Premier League
Team News
Chelsea
The Blues will be without midfield engine Moises Caicedo, who serves a one-match ban after collecting his second yellow card of the tournament in the quarter-finals. Decisions on Cole Palmer, Reece James, and Malo Gusto will be made following a final training session after they were rested over the weekend. Mykhaylo Mudryk remains under a doping suspension, while Romeo Lavia and Levi Colwill are still sidelined with long-term injuries.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta faces a defensive crisis as Piero Hincapié (hamstring) and Riccardo Calafiori (muscle) are both unavailable. William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are also considered late doubts for the trip across town. On a positive note, Kai Havertz is available following a long-term knee injury. Kepa Arrizabalaga is in contention to start in goal against his former club, though Mikel Arteta notably did not promise the Spaniard would start during his pre-match press conference.
Form
Chelsea
Chelsea snapped a three-match winless streak in spectacular fashion over the weekend, routing Charlton 5-1 in the FA Cup third round. Despite their recent inconsistency, the Blues have a strong historical record in League Cup semi-finals, progressing from four of their six previous ties against Arsenal in this competition. Notably, Chelsea have scored and conceded in each of their last seven matches, highlighting both their attacking flair and defensive vulnerabilities under new management.
Arsenal
The Gunners arrive at Stamford Bridge in peak form, currently leading the Premier League by six points. They survived an early scare to beat Portsmouth 4-1 on Sunday, further extending their unbeaten run across all competitions. However, Arsenal have struggled in semi-finals recently, suffering elimination in their last four appearances at this stage in all competitions—the longest such run in the club’s history.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea predicted XI: Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Santos, James; Estêvão, Fernández, Neto; Delap
Arsenal predicted XI: Kepa; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Saka, Gyökeres, Martinelli
How to watch Chelsea vs Arsenal?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage starting at 19:00 GMT.
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