'Like kids and babies': Gary Neville reacts to Chelsea comeback with prediction for Arsenal Carabao Cup tie

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Evening Standard

·31 January 2026

'Like kids and babies': Gary Neville reacts to Chelsea comeback with prediction for Arsenal Carabao Cup tie

Blues will be eyeing a third comeback in a week when they face Arsenal in Carabao Cup semi-final second leg

Gary Neville has said Chelsea can take confidence from their latest comeback win over West Ham into the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal.

Chelsea head to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday trailing 3-2 from the first-leg at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have won all five games across three different competitions since that loss to Arsenal, but the last two have been in dramatic fashion.

In their final league phase fixture of the Champions League, Chelsea trailed away at Napoli before a second half brace from Joao Pedro completed the comeback and sealed qualification for the last-16.

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The Brazilian, along with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez, then helped the Blues battle back from 2-0 down to beat West Ham in a thrilling London derby on Saturday.

In doing so, Chelsea made history by managing to win a match after trailing by two goals or more at half-time for the first time ever in the Premier League.

Neville, on co-commentary duty for Sky Sports at Stamford Bridge, compared Chelsea to “kids and babies” when attempting to explain the contrast of performances.

"What a great comeback for Chelsea, creating their own history having never done it before - coming back from two goals down,” Neville said.

"Devastation for West Ham, they contributed enormously to the game.

"But Chelsea, you can watch them in the same game and think two completely different things.

Relief for Chelsea against West Ham

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"They looked like kids and babies for large parts of the game and then all off a sudden they come to life and they are a real force.

"They go into the top four and they'll into that game against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday so confident having come back in the last two games against Napoli and West Ham.

"West Ham, keep your heads up. If you play like that, you've got a great chance of staying up."