THE Carabao Cup semi-final first leg takes place at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as Chelsea clash with London rivals Arsenal.
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Chelsea vs Arsenal preview
Chelsea take on Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
New boss Liam Rosenior will take charge at home for the first time and will be hoping to build on last weekend’s emphatic 5-1 FA Cup win over Charlton.
The Blues – five-time winners of this competition – rotated heavily for that third-round victory, but are expected to field their strongest XI here as they look to snatch an advantage ahead of the return leg at the Emirates.
And they may well need it, given their recent form and that of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Before Rosenior’s arrival, Chelsea were winless in five Premier League matches and slipped to eighth in the table. They’ve also won just one of their last four games at Stamford Bridge, drawing 2-2 with Bournemouth in their most recent home outing.
While Chelsea lifted the Conference League and Club World Cup last season, their last domestic trophy came back in 2017-18 – and their most recent Carabao Cup success was over a decade ago in 2014-15.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have rarely put their stamp on this competition.
They’ve won it just twice, with their last triumph coming in 1992-93, and last reached the final in 2017-18, when they were beaten 3-0 by Manchester City.
That said, this looks a good opportunity to put that right. The Gunners are flying high in the Premier League and remain in the hunt for a remarkable quadruple.
Mikel Arteta’s side arrive in strong cup form after thumping Championship Portsmouth 4-1 in the FA Cup last weekend. They’ve also won eight of their last nine matches in all competitions, scoring 11 goals across their last four away games.
Chelsea vs Arsenal preview betting odds
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
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Chelsea vs Arsenal preview betting tips and predictions
Involved
We’re backing Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez to score or assist at 21/10 with William Hill.
The Argentine, 24, has been in terrific touch this season, racking up eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances across all competitions.
He continued that form off the bench in last week’s FA Cup win, grabbing a goal and an assist during a 22-minute cameo, and could benefit from being pushed into a more advanced role under new boss Liam Rosenior.
It’s also worth noting that Fernandez has created more chances than any of his Chelsea team-mates this season (33), boasts the highest expected assists (3.99) and leads the squad for expected goals (7.02).
- Enzo Fernandez to score or assist at 21/10 with Betfair – CLAIM HERE
First goalscorer and correct score predictions
Chelsea vs Arsenal
- First goalscorer: Bukayo Saka at 15/2 with Midnite – CLAIM HERE
- Correct score: 1-1 at 5/1 with Betfred – CLAIM HERE
Carded
We’re backing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella to find his way into the referee’s notebook, priced at 5/2 to be carded anytime with William Hill.
This is a rivalry that often produces plenty of cards, and Cucurella is usually among them. The 27-year-old Spanish full-back has been booked four times in eight appearances against the Gunners, including in each of his last three. Against no other side has he been carded more often in his career.
That may have something to do with the fact he’s likely to be up against Arsenal star Bukayo Saka, the Gunners’ most-fouled player at 1.8 fouls drawn per game.
- Marc Cucurella carded at 5/2 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE
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