Article body analysed
By HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER and OLIVER HOLT, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER and ISAAN KHAN, REPORTER and KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER Updated: 10: 03 AEDT, 4 February 2026 570 View comments Relive Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, with Oliver Holt, Kieran Gill and Isaan Khan reporting from the ground. Well, there we have it, Arsenal are on their way to Wembley. They came into tonight knowing they just had to keep Chelsea at bay, and that's exactly what they did. It was 90 minutes we as neutrals will never get back, but for those Arsenal fans, it's a night that they will remember for a very long time. The Gunners only managed five shots all night, just doing what they needed to do to keep the Blues at arm's length. And then, in the last minute, when Chelsea were throwing the kitchen sink at them, they broke away to seal the deal. Of course, it had to be former Chelsea man Kai Havertz who killed them off. Now they just have to wait and see who will be joining them in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22. Will it be Manchester City or Newcastle? My money is on City, seeing as they already have a two-goal advantage, but we will have to wait and see tomorrow night. Until then, you've been brilliant. Thanks so much for joining our coverage. Goodnight! Did that goal feel familiar to you? Well, it would have for Chelsea fans. .. In the 2021 Champions League final, Kai Havertz pulled off the very same move, rounding Ederson before sliding the ball into the back of the net. It was the goal that made Chelsea two-time European champions. Five years on, he scores a near identical goal against them to knock them out of the Carabo Cup. And to make matters worse for Blues fans, he pointed to the Gunners badge with pride in celebration. That has got to hurt. Liam Rosenior, Chelsea boss, speaking to ITV1: Yep, it's that time when we all get carried away. Liverpool had to deal with the fanfare of winning the quadruple in both 2022 and 2024; now it's Arsenal's turn. Look, we aren't stupid; we all know just how difficult it is to keep the standards high while competing in all four competitions. It's practically impossible to win all four. But still, Arsenal fans can dream. The Gunners are six points clear at the top of the Premier League, are in the Carabao Cup final, topped the Champions League group phase, and are in the FA Cup fourth round. Some would say, the quad is on. .. Declan Rice, Arsenal midfielder, on Sky Sports: Surely this is Arsenal's year to win something? I still find it mental that it's been six years since the Gunners won a trophy, seeing how brilliant they have been in that time. But now you feel like it's almost certain that silverware will be heading to north London. It's been 33 years since Arsenal last lifted the League Cup, and now they are just one game away from getting their hands on it. It's so close they can almost touch it. Arsenal fans, get your diaries out. The Carabao Cup final is weirdly late this year, so you still have to wait a little while until your team fights for the trophy. The final is in seven weeks' time on March 22, and of course, it's under the famous Wembley arch. But who will they be facing? Manchester City or Newcastle? Paul Merson, former Arsenal midfielder, on Sky Sports: That really was a tough watch, wasn't it? Chelsea came into this game with a plan; it was clear from minute one. Five at the back, sitting back trying to keep Arsenal at bay, and then throw everything at Arsenal at the end. The problem was that Chelsea never threw anything at Arsenal. Estevao, Cole Palmer, and Alejandro Garnacho all came on and barely made an impact going forward. They never really tested the Arsenal defence, so in the end it was a very comfortable night for the Gunners. Stats will show that Chelsea dominated and gave it a real go, but if you watched that game, you'll know that's not the case. Rosenior's plan didn't come off. Just listen to that noise. The Emirates almost came off its hinges as Kai Havertz rounded Robert Sanchez and found the net. As soon as he broke free, you just knew it was a goal. Havertz may be rusty, but he ain't that rusty. A massive moment in Arsenal's season. That will feel like a huge weight off Arsenal's shoulders. While they have been brilliant these last few things, one of their problems is that they can't get over the line. Not just in the league, but in cup competition too. They have plenty of recent semi-final scars; they had lost their last five heading into tonight, including to the semi-finals last season. So, to finally get the job done in the last four must feel incredible; they now know they can handle the pressure when it ramps up. They are just one step away from a trophy they have been craving. Good observation from Karen Carney . .
If Chelsea c. ..
Share what you think
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mail Online.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on Mail Online. To do this we will link your Mail Online account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.

