A place in the EFL Cup final is up for grabs tomorrow evening as Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates.
This London derby is finely poised following a slender 3-2 win for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, secured by goals from Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi.
And the second stanza promises equal levels of drama, with both sides coming off big Premier League victories on the weekend.
So, here is our full Arsenal vs Chelsea preview, and we have picked out some handy betting tips based on the latest EFL Cup odds.
And if multiple selections on this fixture catch your eye, why not try out our Bet Builder tool and combine them? Play your way at NetBet!
Where can I watch Arsenal vs Chelsea in the UK?
Arsenal vs Chelsea will be broadcast live on ITV1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.
Arsenal vs Chelsea Preview
Recent results
Since the win at Chelsea – hampered by Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half brace – Arsenal have been a tad inconsistent. A 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest was followed by a 3-1 win at Inter Milan, and then a shock 3-2 defeat vs Manchester United.
But Mikel Arteta’s side have bounced back from that stinging blow at the Emirates, beating Kairat Almaty 3-2 in the Champions League before thrashing Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road last Saturday – and establishing a six-point lead at the top of the table.
As for Chelsea, things have been going very well since the defeat to Arsenal, with Liam Rosenior’s men reeling off five straight victories.
Brentford (2-0) were the first to suffer, before Pafos (1-0), Crystal Palace (1-3) and Napoli (2-3) fell victim to the resurgent Blues. And on the weekend, Chelsea came from 2-0 down to beat West Ham 3-2, Enzo Fernandez grabbing the all-important winner in stoppage time.
Head-to-head record
Arsenal’s first-leg triumph means they are nine games unbeaten against Chelsea, claiming a 1-0 win at the Emirates last season.
The encounter before that at the Gunners’ home saw Arteta’s men record a 5-0 victory – and you have to go all the way back to August 2021 for Chelsea’s last success in North London, a 2-0 triumph secured by goals from Romelu Lukaku and Reece James.
Team news
Mikel Merino is a new long-term absentee for Arsenal after breaking a bone in his foot, and the versatile Spaniard could miss the remainder of the season. Bukayo Saka is also a huge doubt after leaving the pre-match warmup at Leeds with a hip issue, which should mean another start for ex-Chelsea winger Noni Madueke – who scored and assisted at Elland Road.
Jamie Gittens joined the Blues’ treatment table in the win vs West Ham and won’t be available here. Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Tosin Adarabioyo are unavailable, but the rest of the squad looks in good shape.
Arsenal vs Chelsea Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are clear favourites to win and reach the final, priced at just 1.68. A Chelsea victory is at odds of 4.90, while the draw is 3.95.
Arsenal vs Chelsea Betting Tips
Anytime goalscorer – Gabriel Jesus @ 2.23
Jesus scored off the bench against Leeds, and with Gyokeres starting – and netting – against both Kairat and the Whites, Arteta may opt to rotate his strikers with games coming thick and fast. Jesus also has a fabulous record in the EFL Cup, with 11 goals in 25 appearances.
Player to score or assist double chance – Cole Palmer OR Joao Pedro @ 1.67
Arsenal’s defensive solidity returned at Elland Road, but Chelsea’s attack should still pose them plenty of problems. The Gunners have also kept just one clean sheet in the last seven matches at the Emirates across all competitions, so looking for value in a Chelsea goal looks a wise move. Palmer is the Blues’ best player in full flow and grabbed an assist in the win at Napoli, while Pedro has recorded six goal contributions since the first leg of this tie.
Moises Caicedo to commit over 2.5 fouls @ 3.25
Caicedo and fouls, a love story which is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. The Ecuadorian – who missed the first leg through suspension – has committed 23 of them in his previous 10 Premier League appearances, tallying two more vs West Ham. Against a formidable Arsenal midfield of Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, expect Caicedo to hear the referee’s whistle on multiple occasions.
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