Carabao Cup Drama: Semi-Finals Heat Up with Advantage Arsenal and City

The first legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals have wrapped up, leaving the Premier League’s two heavyweights with one foot in the Wembley final. It was a week defined by high-scoring drama at Stamford Bridge and clinical, high-stakes efficiency at St. James' Park. Manchester City and Arsenal go into the second leg ahead of the competition, setting up a classic cup final between two titans of English football.

🔵 City in Control at St. James’ Park: Newcastle 0–2 Man City

On Tuesday night, Manchester City showed why this competition often feels like their domain, delivering a professional performance against the defending champions. City struggled somewhat in the first half but overcame their opposition convincingly during the second half.

Semenyo’s Spark: January signing Antoine Semenyo opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, becoming the first City player since Adebayor in 2009 to score in his first two appearances.

Late Killer Blow: With Newcastle pushing forward, Rayan Cherki sealed the tie deep into stoppage time (90+9’) with a devastating counter-attack finish.

History on City’s Side: City have now won the first leg in each of their last four League Cup semi-finals, a trend that rarely ends without a trip to Wembley.

🔴 Five-Goal Thriller at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea 2–3 Arsenal

Wednesday night delivered a classic. Arsenal edged a breathless London derby, showing both their attacking sharpness and resilience under pressure.

Early Statement: Ben White struck after seven minutes, heading home a trademark Declan Rice corner, marking Arsenal’s 24th set-piece goal of the season.

Costly Error: Viktor Gyökeres doubled the lead early in the second half after a glaring handling mistake from Robert Sánchez.

Garnacho Ignites Chelsea: Substitute Alejandro Garnacho dragged Chelsea back into the tie with two goals (57’, 83’), injecting belief and urgency.

The Decisive Moment: Between Garnacho’s strikes, Martin Zubimendi produced a moment of pure composure, calmly restoring Arsenal’s lead with a silky finish.

Arsenal enter the second leg with a marginal advantage. They would have hoped for a better result against the Blues, but will be firmly on top at the Emirates. Arsenal will go into the second tie as clear favourites to progress, setting up a Wembley classic between themselves and Manchester City.

Historical Context: In the history of two-legged Carabao Cup semi-finals, the team winning the first leg away from home has progressed 30 out of 32 times. This historical note should work in City and Arsenal's favour as they aim to progress to the final and maintain their record in the Carabao Cup.

🔮 Looking Ahead: The Road to Wembley

The return legs are scheduled for early February, where tactical battles and squad depth will decide who makes the trip to Wembley:

Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Tuesday, February 3 (Emirates Stadium)

Man City vs. Newcastle: Wednesday, February 4 (Etihad Stadium)

While Arsenal and City hold the aggregate advantage, the late heroics from Garnacho and Newcastle's pride as holders mean the race for domestic silverware is still far from over. Can Newcastle and Chelsea cause an upset away from home, or will the favourites triumph against their opposition? Only time will tell as the stakes for the Carabao Cup final couldn't get any higher.