Liam Rosenior will be looking to maintain his winning start as he walks out to Stamford Bridge for the first time as Chelsea boss against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior led Chelsea to a 5-1 win vs Charlton(Image: Getty Images)
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Both Chelsea and Arsenal head into Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge buoyed by convincing away victories in their opening FA Cup ties. The Blues secured their place in the last four by seeing off Cardiff City in the quarter-finals, while the Gunners edged past Crystal Palace on penalties after a tense goalless draw.
Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Cardiff was a result few could have predicted would mark Enzo Maresca’s final triumph as manager, coming just weeks before his tumultuous departure following a breakdown with the club’s board. Before his exit, Maresca had also guided Chelsea to narrow wins over Lincoln City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in earlier rounds, setting the stage for their first home fixture of the 2025-26 EFL Cup campaign.
The Blues have a strong recent record at this stage of the competition, reaching Wembley in four of their last five semi-final appearances—the only exception being a defeat to Arsenal in the 2017-18 season. This upcoming clash will be Liam Rosenior’s first test against Premier League opposition as Chelsea manager, after his revamped side ended a five-match winless streak by thrashing Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the FA Cup third round.
Chelsea’s winter has been marked by both on-field and off-field drama, with the team scoring and conceding in each of their last seven matches across all competitions, and finding the net in their last 12 home games at Stamford Bridge. Memories of their EFL Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal last year still linger, as does the 2018-19 final defeat to Manchester City—a match 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 that the third time's 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 by coming from behind to defeat 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 boast a remarkable 13-game scoring streak away from home, including their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in November—a result that stretched 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 yellow in the last round against Cardiff City while Marc Cucurella returns from suspension after missing the Charlton match, though Caicedo joins Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended), Romeo Lavia (thigh), and Levi Colwill (knee) on the sidelines.
Ten of the players who started against Charlton also featured in Chelsea’s starting lineup for the quarter-final win over Cardiff, but with the quality of 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 are believed to be carrying serious injuries.
For Arsenal, former Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz made his return 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 (muscle), 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 run, and despite the goalkeeper’s questionable role in Portsmouth’s opener at the weekend, the manager’s public backing suggests Kepa will keep his place between the posts.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Prediction
Both teams to score - 8/11 (Betfred)
Bukayo Saka to score anytime - 2/1 (Betfred)
Joao Pedro to score anytime - 12/5 (Betfred)
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