Chelsea take on Arsenal in the first leg of the semi-final of the EFL Cup on Wednesday (14/01/2026), as Liam Rosenior takes charge of his first game at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues come into this game following a victory over Charlton Athletic (1-5) in Liam Rosenior's first game in charge. Chelsea's route to the semi-final has seen them beat the likes of Lincoln City (1-2), Wolves (3-4) and Cardiff City (1-3). Chelsea's run prior to Rosnenior's appointment saw the Blues go without a win in their previous five league games, with two losses and three draws.
Arsenal head into this game following their 4-1 win against Portsmouth away from home in the FA Cup. The Gunners have beaten Port Vale (0-2), Brighton & Hove Albion (2-0) and Crystal Palace (1-1, 8p-7). Mikel Arteta's side are on the hunt for their first trophy since 2020 during Arteta's first season at the club. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last nine matches, and even more impressively, they are unbeaten in nine meetings against the Blues.
Goals are to be expected in this fixture, as the BTTS market has landed in the last seven games involving Chelsea and in five of the last six involving Arsenal.