Chelsea vs. Arsenal LIVE Updates: Ben White opens the score with a header (0-1)

After winning the ball with a high press, Enzo Fernández picked it up and drove a shot on goal that was comfortably handled by Kepa.

Overloading the six-yard box, Declan Rice delivered a pinpoint corner kick that defender Ben White headed home, opening the scoring on Arsenal’s first clear chance of the night.

With the opening minutes producing no clear chances from either side, play is halted after Marc Guiu commits a foul on Gabriel, marking one of the early physical duels of the London night.

Referee Simon Hooper blows his whistle, and the Carabao Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Arsenal is underway!

On the opposite side of the bracket, Manchester City faced Newcastle United on Tuesday to determine who could await the winner of the Chelsea–Arsenal semifinal.

Behind goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki, the Sky Blues secured a crucial 2-0 victory at St. James’ Park, putting one foot in the final. The second leg will be played at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 4, as Pep Guardiola continues his pursuit of domestic silverware more than a decade into his tenure in Manchester.

Mikel Arteta has built one of the most solid defensive units in Europe, with Arsenal currently boasting the fewest goals conceded in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. However, the Spanish manager confirmed ahead of the match that two key defensive pieces will be unavailable.

When asked about defenders Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori, both of whom missed the 4–1 FA Cup win over Portsmouth, Arteta left little room for doubt. “Those two are not available yet,” he said. Speaking specifically about Calafiori, Arteta added: “It’s a muscle injury. He’s progressing, but we don’t know. I think it will be a matter of a few weeks, but we don’t know exactly when.”

As two members of England’s so-called “Big Six,” any meeting between Chelsea and Arsenal naturally carries high expectations. Historically, however, the rivalry has tilted in one direction when examining the overall head-to-head record between the two London clubs.

Chelsea and Arsenal have faced each other 216 times across all competitions, with the Gunners holding the edge at 85 wins. The Blues have recorded 68 victories, with 62 matches ending in draws.

In more recent years, Arsenal have further asserted their dominance. Across the last 10 official meetings (all in the Premier League) the Gunners have won six times, drawn three matches, and suffered just one defeat, leaving Chelsea with a concerning recent record entering such a pivotal matchup.

The first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Arsenal will be played at Stamford Bridge. Located in the Hammersmith and Fulham borough of London, the stadium has a capacity of 40,341 spectators.

Unlike the FA Cup, the League Cup semifinals are contested over two legs rather than being decided at Wembley Stadium. As a result, Chelsea and Arsenal will meet again for the second leg on Tuesday, Feb. 3, following the opening match at Stamford Bridge.

Head coach Mikel Arteta has opted to go all-out with his starting XI for the clash against Chelsea, deploying a 4-3-3 formation: Kepa Arrizabalaga; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Jurriën Timber; Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Ødegaard; Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyökeres, Leandro Trossard.

Head coach Liam Rosenior has named the starting XI that will face Arsenal with a place in the Carabao Cup final on the line, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Robert Sánchez; Josh Acheampong, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella; Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos; Estêvão, João Pedro, Pedro Neto; Marc Guiu.

Following Enzo Maresca’s decision to step down as head coach, Chelsea’s board turned to Liam Rosenior from Racing Strasbourg, a fellow BlueCo-owned club, to lead the next phase of the project at Stamford Bridge.

The English manager made a strong first impression with a 5-1 FA Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, but the matchup against Arsenal represents the first true test of his tenure. “We’ve been working tactically on Arsenal from the moment I came into the club,” Rosenior said Monday in his post-match press conference. “I’ve watched all of their games and analyzed every aspect of their play, including set pieces, where they are very strong.”

Chelsea and Arsenal will be clashing at 3:00 PM (ET)/ 12:00 PM (PT).

You can watch the Carabao Cup live on Paramount+.

Welcome to our live blog for the match between Chelsea and Arsenal for the 2025-26 Carabao Cup semifinal. Stay with us for key updates and live minute-by-minute coverage!