A ticket to Wembley is on the line on Tuesday night as Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium for the decisive second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
The Gunners arrive with a slender 3–2 aggregate advantage after a high-octane first leg at Stamford Bridge. In that clash, goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyökeres, and Martin Zubimendi cancelled out a brace from Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho.
Mikel Arteta’s side, the current Premier League leaders, are looking to reach their first League Cup final since 2018. History is on their side, as only two teams in 32 previous attempts have won the first leg of an EFL Cup semi-final away and failed to reach the final.
However, a resurgent Chelsea under Liam Rosenior travel across London in formidable form, fresh from a five-game winning streak that included a stunning weekend comeback against West Ham. Since Rosenior’s appointment, the Blues have won six of their first seven matches, and they have won all three of their away EFL Cup fixtures this season.
Arsenal vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
- Referee: Peter Bankes
- VAR: James Bell
- Last Meeting: Chelsea 2–3 Arsenal (14 Jan 2026), League Cup
Team News
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta faces a late decision on talisman Bukayo Saka, who is nursing a hip injury sustained during the warm-up against Leeds. While the issue is not believed to be serious, Noni Madueke stands ready to start after his impressive weekend performance. Midfielder Mikel Merino is a major absentee and will undergo surgery for a rare foot fracture. Youngster Max Dowman remains sidelined, but Riccardo Calafiori and Jurriën Timber are both fit to feature.
Chelsea
The Blues are dealing with significant absences in the wide areas. Estêvão Willian is currently on compassionate leave in Brazil and remains a major doubt. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is also sidelined with a foot injury picked up against West Ham. In goal, Filip Jørgensen is nearing a return, but Robert Sánchez is expected to continue. Long-term injury victims Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dário Essugo, and Roméo Lavia remain unavailable.
Form
Arsenal
The Gunners are in supreme form, recently thrashing Leeds United 4–0 to go six points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal have turned the Emirates into a fortress, winning their last three home games against Chelsea while scoring nine goals and conceding just one. Notably, Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Chelsea across all competitions (W6 D3), their best run in this fixture since 2004.
Chelsea
Liam Rosenior has enjoyed a dream start, winning six of his first seven games in charge. Chelsea arrive fresh from a stunning 3–2 comeback win over West Ham, a result that exemplified the spirit and resilience Rosenior has instilled. Notably, the Blues have progressed from three of their last four EFL Cup semi-finals when losing the first leg, and they look to avoid losing both legs of a semi-final for the first time since 1991.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal Predicted XI: Arrizabalaga; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Chelsea Predicted XI: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro
How to Watch Arsenal vs Chelsea?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on ITV1, Sky Sports Main Event, and Sky Sports Football. Coverage starts at 19:00 GMT ahead of the 20:00 kick-off.
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