High stakes at the Emirates, a London derby with a trip to Wembley on the line. Leading 3-2 from the first leg, Arsenal played a disciplined, cagey game against a Chelsea side that packed five defenders in, and the tie was feisty without ever really threatening to turn.
The Counter-Punch
As the clock ticked into the seventh minute of added time, Kai Havertz, on from the bench, collected Declan Rice's pass, rounded Robert Sánchez and slotted home. 1-0 on the night, 4-2 on aggregate, and a first League Cup final in eight years, our first major final since 2020.
Friction and Focus
The tie was not without drama off the ball. Chelsea's Liam Rosenior complained about a lack of respect over a pre-match incident, and Arteta answered it plainly afterwards:
"At any point, if one of the staff members went through that, we apologise."
What It Means
Runners-up six times in this competition, last in 2018, winners in 1987 and 1993. Now Manchester City at Wembley on 22 March.
Man of the Match: Kai Havertz 🇩🇪
Scoring the goal that mathematically ended the tie against his former club, Havertz proved once again that he is the man for the big occasion.