14.01.2026 8 p.m.
England 🏴 EFL Cup
Venue:Stamford Bridge
Chelsea vs Arsenal
My opinion:
It was a really entertaining and dramatic game — especially given the stakes of a cup semi-final. Arsenal did well to take the lead and control much of the match, showing smart movement and good use of set-pieces early on. Chelsea’s fightback through Garnacho’s two goals was exciting and showed real character, giving them hope ahead of the second leg.
What stood out to me:
Arsenal’s clinical finishing and ability to build pressure early earned them a deserved advantage.
Chelsea’s resilience was obvious — the Blues didn’t give up after going behind twice and their attacking intent in the last 20 minutes made it a proper cup tie.
The match had a bit of a roller-coaster feel: the lead changed hands, momentum swung, and there were mistakes but also great individual moments (especially from Garnacho and Zubimendi).
Overall impression:
A closely contested tie that could have gone either way — Arsenal will be happy with the advantage, but Chelsea absolutely earned belief ahead of the second leg.Looking forward to how the return fixture plays out!
