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2026-02-03 - Arsenal vs Chelsea
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English League Cup Semi Final Second Leg
Tuesday 3rd February 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
They might have had a little stumble in the Premier League, but title rivals have not taken as much advantage of that as they would have liked and this was another big weekend for Arsenal. Not only did Mikel Arteta's team confidently come through what looked a tough away game on paper, but twenty-four hours later, Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped League points to reopen a gap at the top of the Division in favour of The Gunners.
The fight on four fronts continues on Tuesday with Arsenal taking a lead into the League Cup Semi Final Second Leg as they look to book a place in the Final for the first time since 2018. Failure to win any silverware since 2020 looks like it could be replaced by a very successful season, but Arteta will want his team to focus with a narrow lead to protect in the Second Leg of this Semi Final back at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal crushed Leeds United 0-4 at Elland Road on Saturday and they have won 5 of the last 7 games in all competitions, although most of the successes have been in the various Cups that have been entered. The side had failed to win back to back home games before Arsenal beat Kairat Almaty 3-2 on Match Day 8 of the Champions League Group Stage.
Mikel Merino is set for a spell on the sidelines, while Bukayo Saka felt something in the warm up on Saturday and is not expected to be risked. The manager may choose to make one or two rotations to the starting eleven with the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Jesus pushing for starting opportunities.
Chelsea
It helps having the deep bench that was available to Liam Rosenior on Saturday, but the manager should still be given some credit for making the decisions needed to help Chelsea turn things around. They were booed off at half time when trailing 0-2 against West Ham United, but those coming on made a big difference and Chelsea ultimately scored an injury time winner to secure three important Premier League points.
The result also maintains a positive start made to life in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge as far as Rosenior is concerned, although he will note the one really disappointing result came in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg. A late goal has given Chelsea something to fight for when they travel to North London, while the squad looks much stronger overall ahead of the Second Leg compared with the First.
Chelsea may have lost that First Leg, but they have won 6 of 7 games played in all competitions under the current manager, including 5 in a row since that defeat at Stamford Bridge. Just before Liam Rosenior took over, Chelsea were beaten 2-1 at Fulham, but they have played 3 away games in all competitions under the new manager and won all of those.
Estevao has been allowed to return to Brazil for personal reasons and is not expected to feature, while Jamie Gittens picked up an injury on Saturday that looks to keep him out. Players like Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Joao Pedro are expected to start.
Head to Head
These two London rivals have met twice at Stamford Bridge this season, but face each other at the Emirates Stadium for the first time.
Arsenal have won 3 in a row at home against Chelsea.
Prediction
There will have been one or two Arsenal fans frustrated that the team have not secured a bigger lead from the First Leg of this League Cup Semi Final, but they do have a lead and that makes the hosts big favourites to progress.
An injury hit Chelsea team battled with real character in coming back from 0-2 and 1-3 down when the teams met in West London last month.
The eventual 2-3 defeat is a blow, but Liam Rosenior is going to be well aware that things could have looked much bleaker and this time there is a bit more depth to his options.
Losing Estevao and Jamie Gittens doesn't help, but the manager has managed to rest one or two key players and the fightback against West Ham United will do the squad a world of good.
They will certainly travel with plenty of confidence.
However, Chelsea have to find a way to beat Arsenal if they are going to at least force Extra Time and that is a tough ask.
Mikel Arteta's team had a much more comfortable Saturday and there are plenty of options available to the manager ahead of this Semi Final Second Leg. Injuries to Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka are a blow, but Arsenal showed they can more than cope without them and all of the onus is on Chelsea to come forward.
This could play into the home team's hands and Arsenal will have learnt plenty from the League Cup Semi Final defeat to Newcastle United twelve months ago. The attacking options available coupled with what remains a pretty solid defensive unit gives the home team the edge and Arsenal may be able to do enough to win this Second Leg.
At some stage you have to think Chelsea will take risks and that could leave them vulnerable to fast breaks going the other way.
Liam Rosenior has to be given credit for the subs made on Saturday to turn the Premier League game around, but Chelsea still remain a work in progress at the back and that is something Arsenal can expose. Set pieces will continue to cause havoc and the feeling is that The Gunners can fire past Chelsea in another entertaining Cup tie.
The Pick :
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
