Chelsea vs Arsenal Carabao Cup preview, team news and prediction

Liam Rosenior will look to maintain his winning start as he heads to Stamford Bridge for the first time as Chelsea manager against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Chelsea and Arsenal head into the EFL Cup semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, buoyed by convincing away wins in their opening FA Cup matches. The Blues secured their place in the last four by beating Cardiff City in the quarter-finals, while the Gunners edged Crystal Palace on penalties after a tense goalless draw.

Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Cardiff was a result few could have predicted would mark Enzo Maresca’s final triumph as manager, just weeks before his tumultuous departure following a rift with the club’s board. Prior to his exit, Maresca had also guided Chelsea to narrow wins over Lincoln City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in previous rounds, setting the stage for their first home game of the 2025-26 EFL Cup campaign.

The Blues have a strong record at this stage of the competition recently, reaching Wembley in four of their last five semi-finals, with the only exception being a defeat against Arsenal in the 2017-18 season. This upcoming clash will be Liam Rosenior’s first test against a Premier League opponent as Chelsea manager, after his revamped side ended a five-match winless run by beating Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the FA Cup third round.

Chelsea’s winter has been marked by drama both on and off the field, with the team scoring and conceding in each of their last seven matches in all competitions, and finding the net in their last 12 home games at Stamford Bridge. Memories of their EFL Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal last year linger, as does the 2018-19 final defeat to Manchester City, a game remembered for the infamous Kepa Arrizabalaga substitution incident.

Ironically, Kepa played a crucial role in Arsenal’s recent quarter-final victory, saving Maxence Lacroix’s penalty to help the Gunners advance after a nervy shootout. Now Mikel Arteta’s side are just 270 minutes away from a long-awaited League Cup title, hoping the third time is the charm after falling at this stage to Liverpool in 2021-22 and Newcastle United last season.

Arsenal, still competing on four fronts, extended their impressive run with an eighth win in nine matches as they came from behind to beat Portsmouth 4-1 in the FA Cup, highlighted by Gabriel Martinelli’s first hat-trick for the club. While Chelsea have been prolific at home, Arsenal can boast a remarkable run of 13 consecutive away goals, including their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in November, a result which took their unbeaten run against the Blues to eight matches. In fact, Arsenal have not lost at Stamford Bridge since August 2018.

Chelsea vs Arsenal team news

Moises Caicedo is suspended after picking up a last-round yellow against Cardiff City while Marc Cucurella returns from suspension after missing the Charlton game, although Caicedo joins Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Levi Colwill (knee) on the sidelines.

Ten of the players who started against Charlton were also in Chelsea’s starting line-up for the quarter-final win over Cardiff, but with the quality of the opposition increasing, Liam Rosenior is expected to field his strongest available XI. Malo Gusto, Reece James and Cole Palmer were all rested as a precaution over the weekend, but none appear to be seriously injured.

For Arsenal, former Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz returned from a knee injury as a substitute on Sunday, but Viktor Gyokeres – despite his recent dip in form – remains the likely starter up front. Piero Hincapie (thigh), Riccardo Calafiori (muscles) and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) are all doubtful, while 16-year-old Max Dowman is expected to remain out with an ankle problem.

Mikel Arteta has consistently relied on Kepa Arrizabalaga throughout the cup, and despite the goalkeeper’s questionable role in Portsmouth’s opener this weekend, the manager’s public support suggests Kepa will keep his place between the posts.

Chelsea vs Arsenal Prediction

• Both teams score – 8/11 (Betfred)
• Bukayo Saka will score anytime – 2/1 (Betfred)
• Joao Pedro will score at any time – 12/5 (Betfred)

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