Chelsea vs Arsenal Predictions

• Arsenal are unbeaten in eight competitive meetings with Chelsea (W5, D3)
• Arsenal are on a nine-game unbeaten run.
• Chelsea have just one win in their last six (D3, L2).

London rivals clash in EFL last four

Chelsea and Arsenal meet in the EFL Cup semi-finals on Wednesday and both of these clubs are bidding to end trophy droughts.

For Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, winning a title this season would be hugely significant as he has just one major honour to his name since taking charge back in 2019 – the FA Cup in his first season in the hot seat.

Chelsea won the Conference League last season but their last domestic trophy was the FA Cup in 2018. The Blues have won both the Champions League (2021) and Europa League (2019) more recently than an English trophy and that is a run they will be looking to end.

As such, both of these teams should name their strongest teams on Wednesday as both sides rotated for FA Cup ties against Championship opponents. If both managers do go with their strongest possible starting line-ups, Arsenal have to be the more likely winners.

Gunners can continue Chelsea dominance

Arsenal are unbeaten against Chelsea since 2021 and they have won five of the eight meetings since that last loss. The two sides did play out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in their only meeting so far this season as the Blues claimed a point despite being reduced to 10-men late in the first half, but the Gunners are the form team coming into this game and they can use that momentum to seize a first leg advantage.

Arsenal are on a nine-game unbeaten run, winning seven of those games, across all competitions and Chelsea have entered a period of transition after Liam Rosenior was appointed as manager.

Rosenior did guide Chelsea to a 5-1 win over Charlton in the FA Cup at the weekend but Arsenal are a big step up and the in-form visitors can come away with an advantage ahead of the second leg at the Emirates.

Chelsea can stay in touch

Arsenal should be able to come out on top but they are unlikely to win by a huge margin and this tie may be finely poised going into the return leg. Chelsea haven’t beaten Arsenal at Stamford Bridge since 2018 but they have at least scored in each of the last three meetings between these sides at this venue, all of which have finished level.

Arsenal have only managed one clean sheet in their last seven games so Chelsea can at least get on the scoresheet and a 2-1 win for the visitors seems a reasonable correct score prediction.

Bukayo Saka is going through a bit of a dry spell but he can end a nine-game run without a goal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Saka has two assists in his last four appearances and looked sharp without scoring in the draw with Liverpool in the last round of fixtures. The Arsenal forward should come into this game fresh after remaining on the bench against Portsmouth at the weekend, so he looks a contender to get on the scoresheet.