RECAP: Havertz sends Arsenal to Carabao Cup final at Wembley | OneFootball

📝 22:05

Eze: “it’s hard to play against us”

Speaking on Sky Sports, Ebere Eze said: “When we’ve got a stadium like this, it’s very hard to play against us.”

On his team relying on his Wembley experience: “This team is so good, so strong, and we’re so confident as well. We trust ourselves and we’re going to keep pushing.”

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Full time 22:02

Paul Merson is taking no prisoners on Sky Sports.

The former Arsenal man said: “This is Chelsea football club, not a bottom four, bottom five team. They’re crying. They should be crying because they didn’t have a go. I cannot believe what happened, they’ve gone out with an absolute wimp in the semi-final of a big competition.”

By Oliver Whitmore

🏁 21:58

ARSENAL REACH CARABAO CUPFINAL

There you have it!

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 97′ 21:57

GOAL! | HAVERTZ

KAI HAVERTZ SENDS ARSENAL TO WEMBLEY!

Arsenal clear the cross and Leandro Trossard finds Declan Rice on the left in acres. He squares to former Blue Kai Havertz, who rounds Robert Sánchez and rolls in the winner.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 96′ 21:56

Wesley Fofana meets the cross from deep and it loops into the hands of Kepa.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 96′ 21:54

Into the final minute!

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 94′ 21:54

Enzo Fernández spots Joao Pedro in the box with his back to goal, but the Brazilian is simply muscled off of the chance of getting a shot away.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 91′ 21:50

SIX ADDED MINUTES

Still time left for Chelsea but it is ticking away quickly.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 90′ 21:50

Cole Palmer is involved again and plays it to his captain, and again it’s well over from Fernández. It encapsulates Chelsea’s game perfectly – absolutely no inroads made behind the Arsenal defense.

By Oliver Whitmore

🔄 88′ 21:47

IN: Josh AcheampongOUT: Malo Gusto

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 87′ 21:46

Estêvão receives the ball from Fernández on the right, but Chelsea can’t breach the Arsenal penalty area.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 85′ 21:45

Less than five minutes left.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 84′ 21:44

Ebere Eze drives through the middle, finds Martinelli who goes over in the penalty area under the challenge of Trevor Chalobah and Peter Bankes tells him no penalty. There was a question about the follow through taking the Brazilian down, but VAR checks and clears the latest penalty call. Sounding like a broken record now.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 82′ 21:41

CLOSE!

Wesley Fofana is first to the flat corner delivery and flicks it narrowly wide of the near post.

Just seven minutes of regular time left for Chelsea to salvage a ticket to Wembley.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 81′ 21:40

It’s into the wall from Palmer, center-back Trevor Chalobah hits the follow up on the volley and claims it deflected behind off of a hand. VAR have checked and cleared it.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 80′ 21:39

Palmer and Fernández standing over the ball.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 79′ 21:38

Now then. Cole Palmer rolls it neatly into the feet of Estêvão and he’s tripped up in a very dangerous position, right in line with goal. Free kick Chelsea.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 77′ 21:37

CLOSE!

Declan Rice wins it back high up the pitch and feeds Zubimendi, whose cross from the right is headed towards goal from six yards out by Gabriel and Marc Cucurella blocks it superbly.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 76′ 21:34

It will be fascinating to hear what the reaction is from the home crowd at full time here. As it stands they have won, but on a technicality.

By Oliver Whitmore

🔄 75′ 21:34

Replays seem to show Andrey Santos cheekily sticking a leg out at Martin Zubimendi off the ball, and trips up the Arsenal man. Immediately after, he’s replaced by Alejandro Garnacho.

IN: GarnachoOUT: Santos

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 74′ 21:32

Since making those changes Chelsea have switched to a back four, and Estevao has looked fairly dangerous.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 71′ 21:30

It’s been slightly better from Arsenal, but Chelsea still look the more likely to score according to Sofascore.

Arsenal – Chelsea Live Score

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 69′ 21:28

BOOKING | GUSTO

Now it’s Malo Gusto’s turn to bomb forward down the right, and quite comically he is booked for simulation after Hincapié takes a swipe and misses both man and ball.

That’s poor from the right wing-back, who might’ve had a decent chance of a cross there.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 68′ 21:27

Martin Zubimendi wins it and Arsenal race forward, but Hincapié’s lofted cross only finds the gloves of Kepa.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 66′ 21:25

The last shot for Mikel Arteta’s side arrived in minute 35. If anything, Arsenal fans will be happy they’re ahead on aggregate.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 65′ 21:24

Chelsea come forward with Estevao, and Fernández hits the latest effort from range over the top. You start to feel as though that’s the only way the away side might hurt Arsenal.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 64′ 21:23

Marc Cucurella fancies himself to be the hero for Chelsea, but his shot from distance following a corner is over the bar. Not as he had rehearsed, but we know there is a goal in the Spanish wing-back.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 63′ 21:21

Get involved

Very interesting indeed. Thoughts?

—Fred C, 03 Feb 2026, 20:59

By Oliver Whitmore

🔄 61′ 21:21

And here come the changes.

IN: Cole Palmer, EstêvãoOUT: Liam Delap, Jorrel Hato

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 58′ 21:18

Cole Palmer and Estêvão are receiving final instructions before being introduced by Liam Rosenior.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 57′ 21:17

William Saliba embarks on a bold run down the right, and feeds the ball to Madueke but the shot is caught fairly comfortably by Sánchez. Arsenal have more of a direct quality this half.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 56′ 21:16

BOOKING

Liam Delap’s name is taken for a foul on Noni Madueke, preventing him from starting a counter attack.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 55′ 21:15

Headed out to Jorrel Hato, but he can’t get an effort goalbound.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 55′ 21:14

Chelsea have a free kick in Arsenal’s half on the right, for a foul on Liam Delap.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 54′ 21:14

BOOKING

The ever-animated Mikel Arteta gets a yellow card for over-zealous reaction to his discussion with the fourth official, Thomas Brammall.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 52′ 21:11

No changes were made by either side during half time, but Cole Palmer is getting himself warmed up as we speak.

The question is where he will slot into a flag midfield five… or will he?

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 50′ 21:10

It’s worth reminding that Arsenal are 3-2 up on aggregate, after their entertaining victory in the first leg.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 50′ 21:09

Get involved

—Izzy G, 03 Feb 2026, 20:57

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 49′ 21:09

Noni Madueke skips infield of Marc Cucurella, but the cross is too deep and loops behind for a goal kick.

By Oliver Whitmore

📺 47′ 21:07

There’s a feint call for a penalty as Joao Pedro hits the deck, but VAR judged that he and William Saliba were both grabbing at each other’s shirts and has cleared the incident.

By Oliver Whitmore

▶️ 46′ 21:06

SECOND HALF KICKS OFF

Back underway at the Emirates, and Chelsea have a corner already.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Half time 21:02

Still hope for Chelsea?

The away side can take some home from their substitutes having scored the most goals (11) of any club across the top five leagues in Europe, as Sky Sports point out.

Don’t go anywhere! The second half is up next.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Half time 21:00

Sofascore puts Chelsea on top

Well, looking at attacking momentum provided by Sofascore, Chelsea have appeared to enjoyed the marginally better half here, for all of Paul Merson’s criticism just now.

Arsenal – Chelsea Live Score

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Half time 20:59

Reporter review

—Innes, 03 Feb 2026, 20:54

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Half time 20:58

Let’s bring our match reporter Innes Taylor in on the discussion, and unsurprisingly it’s much of what most are saying!

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 20:56

Merson: “45 minutes wasted”

Paul Merson on Sky Sports: “If this plan carries on, brings Palmer and Estevao on and Chelsea win the game, we’ll be lauding Liam, going ‘Unbelievable, what he’s done’. But if Chelsea don’t go through the fans will be going mental, because that’s 45 minutes wasted. They haven’t laid a glove on Arsenal.”

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 Half time 20:53

Get involved

One of the top comments on this post questions the lack of wingers in Liam Rosenior’s set up in that first half.

We noted Delap having to do the heavy lifting on the right several times in the first half, leaving them short-staffed in his actual position. Interesting to see what he decides to do next.

By Oliver Whitmore

⏸️ 20:50

HALF TIME

And with that, Peter Bankes brings it to a close! Arsenal still 3-2 up and heading to Wembley as things stand. Chelsea haven’t threatened as much as they should have to worry the Gunners.

It may well have had the reverse effect

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 45′ 20:47

Get involved

—Joseph S, Arsenal fan, 03 Feb 2026, 20:46

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 43′ 20:45

Kepa Arizabalaga is called into action for the first time tonight, and pulls off a decent save to keep out Enzo Fernández from distance. Good hit by the Chelsea captain.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 39′ 20:40

Delap seems to be playing more like a winger than striker, Gusto just hasn’t been able to get into a position where he could put the ball into the towering striker’s path inside the box.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 35′ 20:36

CLOSE!

Martinelli scampers onto the end of a direct ball over the top, getting his body in the way of Malo Gusto, who makes a great recovery and blocks his shot on the turn inside the box.

Arsenal a bit more buoyant just now.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 34′ 20:34

Jesus warming up

Just as I write that, Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus appears for his warm-up on the sideline.

He’ll be wanting to put a similar mark on this semi-final as he has done over the past four, scoring three goals on his return from a lengthy injury.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 32′ 20:33

Update: Gyokores has now had one touch for Arsenal.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 32′ 20:32

Their latest chant I can’t quite repeat here, something about the home crowd’s support not being very good.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 30′ 20:31

‘Is this a library’, sing the Chelsea fans in the away end. Perhaps the Arsenal supporters’ nerves are creeping in slightly?

It’s been quite the flat first half so far.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 27′ 20:28

Trevor Chalobah hits a shot from the edge of the box after Arsenal deal with the initial delivery from Fernández.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 27′ 20:27

Declan Rice gives it away and forces his teammates to regroup behind the ball. Striker Liam Delap finds himself all the way out on the right wing and wins a corner via a deflection on the cross.

This would be some way to take the lead at the Emirates, of all places.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 24′ 20:26

Just the one shot and three touches in the opposition box for both teams as we approach the half-hour mark. Arsenal won’t mind, but Chelsea need not telling they’re still behind by a goal.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 20′ 20:21

Liam Rosenior has decided that three of his players will enter the box, then charge out at full speed to leave the Gunners short at the back and unable to stop the counter. Inventive stuff, really.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 18′ 20:19

CLOSE!

Piero Hincapié gets his head near it and it goes behind off of Fofana, the next corner is dealt with and Hincapié gets it from Ebere Eze on the right and forces a good save by Sánchez.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 17′ 20:17

Gabriel Martinelli drives at Wesley Fofana but has no way through, so Arsenal recycle the ball to the right.

Noni Madueke wins the corner off of Marc Cucurella, and the crowd rises in anticipation. The Gunners have 28 goals from set pieces in all competitions.

Chelsea have kept three forward here…

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 16′ 20:16

Arsenal haven’t exactly managed to get in their visitors’ faces just yet. No touches so far for the big man up front – you feel as though the pressure on him won’t stop mounting unless he keeps scoring consistently.

But a goal in the last leg was crucial to Arsenal’s advantage here.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 14′ 20:14

Chelsea are looking to reach their third Carabao Cup final in five years, and are one of the form sides in the competition over the last decade. As for Arsenal, they’re looking to reach their first in just under a decade.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 12′ 20:12

Neither team has really threatened their opponent’s goal yet, besides Joao Pedro getting himself in a good position 25 yards out, but he couldn’t get the shot away.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 20:11

Get involved!

Remember to get your comments in and join the discussion.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 8′ 20:08

A gentle reminder that if the game is level at full time, we go to extra time before penalties if necessary, unlike previous rounds.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 7′ 20:07

Get involved

Arsenal are first to the loose ball in the middle and Jurien Timber runs straight at Chelsea, before Robert Sánchez’s clearance is almost charged down by Viktor Gyokores.

The Gunners are looking up for this one.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 5′ 20:05

As you would expect, it’s some atmosphere at the rain-soaked Emirates Stadium tonight.

The ball is skimming all over the wet surface, no doubt that’ll play a factor in how the game plays out.

By Oliver Whitmore

▶️ 1′ 20:02

KICK OFF

Off we go! A place in Wembley’s final awaits either Arsenal or Chelsea.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 20:01

Rosenior feeling confident

Liam Rosenior has six wins in his first seven matches as Chelsea manager, in what’s been an impressive start since his move from sister club Strasbourg in France. And he feels confident.

He said: “I look at Enzo Fernández, who has won a World Cup, as well as the group winning two trophies last year. They can play in the big games.”

He’ll need a big performance from his main man, who notched the dramatic winner against West Ham last time out in the Premier League.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 19:59

“No point” discussing treble chances

In his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta stressed there is no point in talking about his side’s chances of a famous treble.

He said: “There’s no point talking about it. What we can talk and control is what we do daily to sustain the level that we have or to improve it. We are very happy in the manner that we competed and win our game and that’s the only thing that is in our hands.”

You can read the full article on our website.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 19:55

Chelsea lineup

Chelsea survived a huge scare at home to West Ham in their first win after coming from 2-0 down at half time, winning it 3-2 in the end. Liam Rosenior changes to a back three, with Cole Palmer notably on the bench. Alejandro Garnacho and Benoit Badiashile also make way, with Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos, and Joao Pedro all coming in.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 19:51

Arsenal lineup

The biggest news is no Bukayo Saka, as the England international and Gunners captain hasn’t managed to make the bench.

Two changes from the side that faced Leeds: Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard are replaced by Ebere Eze and Gabriel Martinelli.

By Oliver Whitmore

📝 19:46

Welcome

Good evening and welcome to live coverage of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Let’s get right to it, starting with the lineups…

By Oliver Whitmore