Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said reaching Wembley for the first time since 2020 – thanks to a 4-2 aggregate League Cup semi-final win over Chelsea – would give his players a boost for a hectic season run-in.

“It’s the best vitamins we can put in our bodies because we are playing every three days,” Arteta told reporters after Arsenal beat their London rivals 1-0 on Tuesday to seal their place in the final of England’s second domestic cup competition.

The Spaniard said the prospect of a return to Wembley for the first time since he guided his team to victory in the FA Cup final – also against Chelsea – six years ago was magical, before adding: “Now we are going to have to go and win it.”

Arsenal had failed to make it through their previous four major cup semi-finals – two in the League Cup and another two in Europe – before overcoming Chelsea on Tuesday.

With the visitors desperately seeking the goal they needed to level the tie on aggregate, former Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz ran clear to score in the final moments of the semi-final second leg

The German has missed much of this season through injury and Arteta hailed his return to form.

“Today was a special moment for him and I hope that he fully enjoys it,” he said.

The Premier League leaders – who are also competing in the FA Cup and the Champions League – will face either Manchester City or Newcastle United who play their semi-final second leg on Wednesday with City 2-0 ahead from the first leg.

Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior said his players’ disciplined performance showed how much the team had developed since the chaotic 3-2 home loss to Arsenal in last month’s first leg, which was only his second match in charge after replacing Enzo Maresca.

“Ultimately their goal comes when we’re throwing the kitchen sink at the game. That’s going to happen,” Rosenior said. “We can’t let this setback affect our future. There were aspects of our game that I am very happy with.”

He said winger Pedro Neto and club captain Reece James had not made the squad on Tuesday after picking up “small knocks” and he praised 18-year-old Brazil winger Estevao who made a 48-hour round trip to Brazil for compassionate reasons but was back in London to come off the bench for Chelsea in the second half.

-Reuters

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Arsenal booked their spot in the League Cup final by beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, thanks to an injury-time goal by former Blues attacker Kai Havertz, sealing an aggregate 4-2 win over their London rivals.

After a cagey first hour of the semi-final second leg, with each goalkeeper making only one save, Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior switched to a more attacking formation by bringing Cole Palmer and Brazil winger Estevao off the bench.

They were followed by Alejandro Garnacho – scorer of both Chelsea’s goals in Arsenal’s 3-2 first-leg win at Stamford Bridge – as the visitors went in search of the goal they needed to level the aggregate score.

But Mikel Arteta’s men held out against the pressure before Havertz scored the only goal of the game in a breakaway move in the dying seconds.

In their first League Cup final since 2018, the Premier League leaders will face either Manchester City or Newcastle United, who play their semi-final second leg on Wednesday with City 2-0 ahead from the first leg.

-Reuters

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Arsenal have opposed Crystal Palace’s request to reschedule their League Cup quarter-final to December 23, with manager Mikel Arteta saying it would be unfair for both teams to play twice in barely 48 hours.

The match is now set for December 16, part of a gruelling run of four games in eight days, with Palace facing Manchester City in the Premier League on December 14, KuPS in the Conference League on December 18, and returning to league action on December 21, away at Leeds.

Palace argued that both sides should have equal time to recover before the quarter-final, as Arsenal host Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 13.

The south London club were open to a Christmas Eve game, but that option was ruled out after talks with the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London, who cited limited public transport services.

Arsenal, the home team, were also opposed to playing on Christmas Eve, while Palace later proposed December 23 as an alternative, two days before Arsenal’s trip to Everton (December. 21), kicking off at the same time as Palace’s game at Leeds.

“I don’t think that’s fair, because we have other competitions as well we have to try to accommodate. We knew at the start of the season the competitions that each club is playing in,” Arteta said

“On balance we have to try to accommodate the best possible way for everybody… There are other (options to December 23). Believe me, there are other options much better than this one. We already suggested that.”

The Spaniard warned that fixture congestion must be handled with fairness and player welfare in mind, otherwise clubs might eventually consider withdrawing from competitions.

“I hope we don’t go (that far),” he said. “If we have that big piece of paper with those two principles there in front before making any decision, all of us in our industry, we won’t get there.

“If we don’t and we just ignore that, then anything is possible.

-Reuters

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