Chelsea and
Arsenal face off at Stamford Bridge in the EFL Cup Semi-Final first leg as both
teams eye up a trip to Wembley for the final.
As always, when
we get to this time of year, the first leg of the two-match EFL Cup Semi-Final
series, everyone is left thinking the home side have to win. Tonight is no different.
Chelsea
Chelsea head
into this match on relatively poor form but crucially with new manager Liam Rosenior at the helm.
This will serve
as his second game in charge of the Blues after seeing off Charlton Athletic in
the FA Cup last weekend.
When asked
about this being one of the biggest games in his managerial career, Rosenior
responded: “I live in the now, it is the most important game because it’s the
next game.”
Despite this statement
by the newly appointed Chelsea boss, it is hard not to see this as one of, if
not the most important game of his managerial career thus far.
Should Chelsea
win this game, it puts them in good stead for a cup final at Wembley.
In his press
conference on Monday, Rosenior also discussed the last time these two sides
faced off back in November, stating: “this team and this club have already proved
this year, with ten men.
“We caused problems
before I came to the club, and we want to do the same again on Wednesday night.”
That game
finished 1-1 with Trevoh Chalobah and Mikel Merino featuring on the scoresheet.
Moises Caicedo was sent off late in the first half for the Blues.
“Moises [Caicedo]
is suspended.” However, Chelsea “have had no new injuries coming out of the
Charlton game.”
Arsenal
Arsenal go into
this game on top form having won eight of their last nine games, and they would
love a new addition to the trophy cabinet to prove that Arteta is the right
manager for the job.
Last time out, Arsenal
dispatched Championship opponents Portsmouth in the FA Cup, however, they did drop
points at home to the below-par Liverpool of this season.
Arsenal boss
Mikel Arteta sat down for his press conference on Tuesday. When asked about the
impact that winning the EFL Cup has on the rest of the season, the Spaniard
responded:
“The more you
are involved in these kinds of games the better. It brings the teams a
different kind of energy.
“It gives you
the sense that the objective is very very close and that is a massive
motivation for everybody.”
Many are
unaware that Arteta and Rosenior faced each other in the 2014 FA Cup final.
Arteta stated: that’s the beauty of football. Two very different careers ending
up facing each other tomorrow at Stamford Bridge in a semi-final.
Team news
Moises Caicedo is
unavailable for the game as he is suspended after receiving his fifth yellow
card of the season last month.
Marc Cucurella
is available again after serving his one-match suspension against Charlton
Athletic.
Chelsea hope
that Cole Palmer and Reece James will be fit for tonight’s match but only time
will tell.
As for Arsenal,
Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori are unavailable. William Saliba and
Leandro Trossard are doubts for tonight’s game.
Cristhian
Mosquera is still a few weeks away along with 16-year-old Max Dowman.
Match
details
- Tonight’s match kicks off at 8 pm GMT
- The venue is Stamford Bridge
- The game is available to watch live in the UK on Sky Sports
- This match will be followed by a second leg at the Emirates Stadium which will take place on Tuesday February 3
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