On Tuesday, the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg will see Arsenal host an in-form Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners aim to secure their first cup final appearance since 2020.
Chelsea, on the other hand, will be hoping to overturn a one-goal deficit and pull off another remarkable comeback just days after their dramatic turnaround in the league against West Ham.
Both teams have had similarly congested schedules, having competed across domestic and European competitions.
However, only one of these London rivals will progress to the final when they clash on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side ended their three-game winless run in the Premier League with an impressive 4-0 victory over Leeds United.
Arsenal’s forwards were back in the goals as Viktor Gyokeres ended his Premier League goal drought, and Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, returning from an injury, added a late goal to further strengthen the scoreline.
While Chelsea, who looked destined for defeat at Stamford Bridge after a poor first-half performance, were trailing 2-0 against 18th-placed West Ham.
At half-time, the home crowd voiced their frustration with loud boos ringing out, but after a triple substitution from Liam Rosenior at the beginning of the second half, the Blues emerged as a completely different side.
In a historic turnaround, they became the first Chelsea team in 56 years to win a match after being two goals down at the break, scoring three second-half goals, inspired by a standout performance from João Pedro.
Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg promises to be a fiercely contested encounter, though Chelsea’s current five-game winning streak could give them a slight psychological edge heading into the match.
Carabao Cup Semi-Final Second Leg: Can The Blues Deliver Another Comeback?
On the back of the Blues’ 3-2 victory over West Ham, the morale within Liam Rosenior’s squad would have been significantly lifted.
Under the former Strasbourg coach, Chelsea have won six of their last seven matches, and although the performances have not been up to standard, a renewed sense of confidence has returned to the club.
The factors outlined below — including their recent momentum, attacking threat, and growing resilience — are why fans believe the Blues are capable of turning this Carabao Cup semi-final tie around and reach the final of the competition.
One-Goal Deficit Easily Recoverable
No first-leg scoreline is ever truly beyond recovery.
Barcelona’s famous “remontada” against Paris Saint-Germain is the clearest illustration of this — overturning a 4-0 deficit with a stunning 6-1 victory in the Nou Camp in the second leg to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.
In that context, Chelsea’s one-goal deficit from the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg is far from an insurmountable obstacle.
If they can replicate the intensity, belief, and tactical discipline they showed in recent performances against Napoli and West Ham, they have every chance of turning the second-leg tie in their favour and causing a major blow to Arsenal’s hopes of a quadruple.
“Comeback Kings” Momentum
Two historic comeback victories in the space of a week — and the prospect of making it three wins out of three against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg — will be no small task.
However, the momentum with which the team is pushing the team on, together with their growing tactical cohesion and renewed self-belief, could prove crucial in tilting the balance in their favour and powering them toward another memorable turnaround.
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Return Of Key Starters
In the first leg of the encounter, the Blues missed several of their key defensive and attacking players due to injury.
For the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, talisman Cole Palmer, captain Reece James and Malo Gusto have returned to fitness, significantly increasing the team’s creative output and defensive leadership.
With the presence of these players, Chelsea now boast a more competitive squad and can potentially field a stronger XI that includes more dynamism in midfield and greater balance across the back line.
Arsenal’s Injury Blow
Against Chelsea, the Gunners may be without their most dangerous player.
Just before kick-off against Leeds United, Bukayo Saka — who had initially been named in Arsenal’s starting lineup — was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during the warm-up, leading to Noni Madueke replacing him.
His availability for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea, therefore, will see him sidelined for the game.
The Gunners will also be without Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, who found the net against Chelsea in the Premier League back in November.
So What Happens If It’s A Draw? Aggregate Scores And Extra-Time
From the first round through to the quarter-finals, any match level after 90 minutes goes straight to a penalty shootout, with no extra-time played.
However, if Chelsea manage to score the goal needed to level the tie, the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg would proceed to 30 minutes of extra-time, as the rules change at this stage of the competition and for the final, requiring tied aggregate scores to be settled by additional play.
Should the teams still be inseparable after extra-time, the match would then be decided by penalties to determine who progresses to the final at Wembley.
Carabao Cup Semi-Final Second Leg: Will The Immense Pressure Of Their Potential Quadruple Campaign Crack Arsenal’s Resolve Or Fuel Their Fire?
The mental challenge of pursuing the title is very different from being the team under pressure at the top.
At this stage of Arsenal’s push, they now face a difficult test as injuries to key players begin to bite and fatigue starts to take its toll.
In the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, Mikel Arteta’s side come up against a Chelsea team riding a five-game winning streak and full of confidence.
If the Gunners’ squad depth proves strong enough to withstand the Blues and carry them through to Wembley, they will fancy their chances of going all the way.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO/Sportimage
Recording Date: 14.01.2026
