Arsenal vs Chelsea live: Team news and line-ups before Carabao Cup semi-final – UK Times

Mikel Arteta has made three changes to the side that beat Leeds 4-0, with Kepa Arrizabalaga replacing David Raya in goal while Ebere Eze comes in for Kai Havertz in midfield. The last change is on the left of the forward line, where Gabriel Martinelli comes in for Leandro Trossard.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Cucurella, Caicedo, Santos, Enzo, Delap, Pedro.

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Badiashile, Holland, Palmer, Estevao, Garnacho, Guiu, Mheuka.

Arsenal XI: Kepa; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Madueke,, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Subs: Raya, Mosquera, White, Jesus, Norgaard, Trossard, Havertz, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly.

The line-ups should be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news for both sides…

Arsenal are without Mikel Merino, who was ruled out for the rest of the season, while Bukayo Saka is a doubt. Max Dowman remains out due to an ankle problem.

Chelsea will likely reward Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella starts after making a big impact off the bench against West Ham, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Romeo Lavia and Jamie Gittens are injured. Levi Colwill remains sidelined with a long-term injury. Estevao is missing on compassionate leave.

And this is what Chelsea’s Liam Rosenior had to say ahead of the game:

“The reality is that Arsenal are favourites for the tie. They’re a goal up and they’re at home, so they’ll expect to go “through.

We need to take it as far as we can and as deep as we can, then hopefully the second half will be massive in terms of turning the tie around,” he explained.

He added that his players “can play in big games and they can perform in big games – and it is definitely a big game on Tuesday.”

“I don’t have a best XI. I never have done in all of the clubs that I’ve worked with. Why? Because of the physical demands.

“You need a squad, and you need to use the players in the correct way to challenge over the course of the season,” he added,

Here’s what Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had to say about the challenge poised by Chelsea tonight:

“We go day by day and competition by competition. Tomorrow we have the home advantage, but we have a lot to do to beat a really good Chelsea side.

“Every team has their own things. I think Liam is doing an incredible job. The tie has a context, a very specific one. We need to make it very concrete to win it.

“The next one is the most important one, and it’s the closest, to reach a final. With our people we need to create the energy and the atmosphere,” he added.

This is the seventh season Chelsea and Arsenal have met in the League Cup, and the third at the semi-final stage. Chelsea have won four of the previous six meetings.

However, the Blues have won just one of their past 14 games in all competitions against Arsenal since January 2020.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said Estevao will not be pressured to return to the club after flying to Brazil on Saturday.

The 18-year-old returned home after being given compassionate leave to deal with a personal matter and is unlikely to be available for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg away to Arsenal.

He is in his first season in England after moving from Sao Paulo in the summer where he played for boyhood club Palmeiras.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino is set to be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a fractured right foot which requires surgery.

Merino sustained the injury in Arsenal’s defeat against Manchester United last month, and the loss of the Spaniard briefly prompted the Gunners to consider making a midfield signing before the transfer window closes yesterday.

Former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently training with the club’s Under-21 squad, having been a free agent since leaving Besiktas.

When asked if the 32-year-old could be snapped up, Arteta said: “We explore every option.”

And here’s how Arsenal got on at the weekend…

It was a significant investment to sign Noni Madueke from Chelsea in the summer, but it was moments like this that are why Arsenal may start seeing a real return.

The sight of Bukayo Saka walking off during the warm-up with a physio by his side before this clash with Leeds would have sent shivers down the spines of Gunners supporters and maybe even the rest of the squad in previous seasons.

Of course, it won’t have been a moment that filled them with joy and they will wait nervously to see how long their talisman will be out for.