It is a London derby in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup as Chelsea and Arsenal battle for a place at Wembley.
A two-legged tie, the first meeting is at Stamford Bridge tomorrow evening, which will be Liam Rosenior’s home debut as Blues manager.
Whenever these two sides meet, there are usually footballing fireworks in the capital, and we expect no different this time around.
We have previewed Chelsea vs Arsenal in full, picking out some betting tips based on NetBet’s latest EFL Cup odds.
And make sure to check out our new EFL Cup Offer for this week’s semi-final action. Place a qualifying £5 Bet Builder on Newcastle vs Manchester City, and you will be credited with a £5 Free Bet Builder to use on Chelsea vs Arsenal.
Where can I watch Chelsea vs Arsenal in the UK?
Chelsea vs Arsenal will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Preview
Recent results
Both teams cruised into the FA Cup Fourth Round on the weekend with victories over Championship sides. Chelsea won 5-1 at Charlton, while Arsenal beat Portsmouth 4-1.
But in the Premier League, things have been pretty bleak for the Blues of late. Last Wednesday’s 2-1 loss at Fulham means it is five without a win in the top flight – a run which includes home failures vs Aston Villa (1-2) and Bournemouth (2-2).
Arsenal’s five-match winning streak in the Premier League ended with last Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool. However, Mikel Arteta’s men have won each of the last four on the road across all competitions vs Club Brugge (0-3), Everton (0-1), Bournemouth (2-3) and – of course – Pompey.
Head-to-head record
Arsenal have dominated this fixture in recent times, suffering just one defeat in the previous 13 clashes with Chelsea in all competitions.
The two teams played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge back in November, a match marred by Moises Caicedo’s first-half red card for a reckless tackle on Mikel Merino.
Each of the last three contests at Chelsea’s home have finished as a draw, with the Blues last beating Arsenal in front of their own fans as far back as August 2018 – which is quite astonishing really.
Team news
As previously mentioned, Caicedo was sent off against Arsenal in the last meeting – and the Ecuadorian midfielder will also miss this match after accumulating too many yellow cards. Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto did not make the trip to Charlton and are doubts here, but Marc Cucurella returns from suspension.
Arsenal are set to be without a host of defenders due to injury, with Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera all expected to miss out. Max Downman is nowhere closer to a first-team return either. But other than that, it is a clean bill of health for Arteta.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Chelsea are the underdogs heading into this one, priced at 3.31 to claim a crucial first-leg win. A victory for Arsenal is at odds of 2.21, while the draw is 3.38.
Chelsea vs Arsenal Betting Tips
Both teams to score – Yes @ 1.69
In each of the last three clashes at the Bridge, both Chelsea and Arsenal have scored. With each team possessing plenty of firepower, we really fancy that trend to continue.
Player to score or assist – Kai Havertz @ 3.35
Havertz made his triumphant return to the Arsenal team against Portsmouth, impressing in a short cameo. In fact, the German’s display attracted a lot of praise from Arteta, and with Viktor Gyokeres really struggling, the manager may opt to deploy the comeback kid from the start against his old club. Havertz has a good record vs Chelsea too, with two goals in three appearances since leaving West London in the summer of 2023.
A red card in the match – Yes @ 4.60
Okay, this is a risk, but Chelsea and red cards just seem to go hand-in-hand this season. The Blues have tallied five in the Premier League, to go with 14 yellows. And in the fiery clash at the Bridge earlier in the season, Caicedo’s red card was paired with seven cautions overall.
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