Arsenal vs Chelsea live: Kai Havertz’s late strike sends Gunners to Carabao Cup final

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The Independent

·3 Februari 2026

Arsenal vs Chelsea live: Kai Havertz’s late strike sends Gunners to Carabao Cup final

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Arsenal have sealed the first place in the 2025/26 Carabao Cup final after Kai Havertz’s late goal secured a 4-2 aggregate victory over Chelsea.

Both sides started slowly in a tense atmosphere at the Emirates, with neither team able to dominate possession or make their mark on a first half that contained barely any chances of note, with Piero Hincapie having a long-range effort saved and Malo Gusto recovering well to prevent Gabriel Martinelli firing in.

Each team was forced to start with more impetus in the second half but it hardly changed the state of the game, with Liam Rosenior’s side set up to nullify Arsenal but also offering precious little in attack themselves.

Even the introduction of Cole Palmer and Estevao failed to ignite a spark in the visitors and it played into Arsenal’s hands late on, with the visitors leaving themselves too much to do late on before a late Arsenal counter-attack saw Havertz and Martinelli race clean through.

And the German needed no invitation to round Robert Sanchez and tap in to give the Gunners the first final in what they hope might be a quadruple-winning campaign, with either Manchester City or Newcastle to come at Wembley in March.

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A long-awaited return. Not just Arsenal's first cup final in six years but - perhaps more importantly to the wider season - another comeback goal from Kai Havertz. Many at the club see him as the difference.

He made the difference in an otherwise poor match, ending any late tension as he rounded Robert Sanchez in stoppage time to secure a 1-0 victory that was a 4-2 on aggregate, to secure a place in the Carabao Cup final.

Mikel Arteta’s side are right to happily celebrate that, in a season that could yet break through all manner of barriers. A second trophy of the Basque’s time, and the first for this specific group of players, is now within sight. They finally have a return to Wembley.