Arsenal edge Chelsea to storm into League Cup final

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February 04, 2026 08:48 IST

Arsenal down Chelsea 1-0 to book a spot in their first League Cup final appearance since 2018.

Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes and Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrate after Kai Havertz scores duriing their League Cup semi-final second leg match on Tuesday

IMAGE: Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes and Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrate after Kai Havertz scores duriing their League Cup semi-final second leg match at Emirates Stadium, London, on Tuesday. Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters

Arsenal booked their spot in the League Cup final by beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday thanks to an injury-time goal by former Blues attacker Kai Havertz, sealing an aggregate 4-2 win over their London rivals.

Key Points

Arsenal seal an aggregate 4-2 win over Chelsea.
Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior switched to a more attacking formation without success.

After a cagey first hour of the semi-final second leg, with each goalkeeper making only one save, Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior switched to a more attacking formation by bringing Cole Palmer and Brazil winger Estevao off the bench.

They were followed by Alejandro Garnacho -- scorer of both Chelsea’s goals in Arsenal's 3-2 first-leg win at Stamford Bridge -- as the visitors went in search of the goal they needed to level the aggregate score.

Havertz scores in the dying seconds

IMAGE: Arsenal's Kai Havertz scores the late winner. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

But Mikel Arteta's men held out against the pressure before Havertz scored the only goal of the game in a breakaway move in the dying seconds.

In their first League Cup final since 2018, the Premier League leaders will face either Manchester City or Newcastle United who play their semi-final second leg on Wednesday with City 2-0 ahead from the first leg.

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