Arsenal in control of Carabao Cup semi-final after five goal thriller with Chelsea

HALF WAY THERE: Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's third goal. Pic: AP Photo/Alastair Grant.

Chelsea 2 Arsenal 3

Arsenal came out on top in a pulsating derby and will be favourites to do so again in the Emirates Stadium decider on February 3.

But although two goals from substitute Alejandro Garnacho were unable to prevent Liam Rosenior's first home game as Chelsea's new head coach from ending in defeat, they have at least kept his side in the tie.

The two London rivals served up 90 minutes to savour and Arsenal will know they have won nothing yet, in this semi-final and the season as a whole.

The second Carabao Cup semi-final of the week required little over six minutes to conjure up a controversy-tinged goal as Arsenal celebrated their 24th goal from a set-piece this season and their 18th from a corner.

It must be said that Chelsea's defending in their own six-yard box was absolutely statuesque, with only goalkeeper Robert Sanchez making an effort to get to the ball (he missed his punch, mainly because of team-mates in the way).

A VAR check ruled that Viktor Gyokeres was not interfering on the line when Ben White's downward header from three yards whipped past him but Chelsea were annoyed the corner had been awarded in the first place, so fierce was Jurrien Timber's challenge on Trevoh Chalobah on the touchline.

For a while Chelsea, lacking Cole Palmer and Reece James because of fitness issues and Moises Caicedo through suspension, were there for the taking.

Sanchez saw a clearance hit Declan Rice, Viktor Gyokeres saw a shot deflected behind and Martin Zubimendi volleyed over after another set-piece caused chaos in the Chelsea ranks.

It took 25 minutes for Chelsea to open up Arsenal at the other end but Josh Acheampong was offside when unleashing a shot that Kepa Arrizabalaga, once of Stamford Bridge, saved anyway.

Kepa did well to bat away Estevao's drive after some nifty work on the right from the Brazilian; with half an hour on the clock Chelsea had moved their attacking game up a couple of gears.

Arsenal replied with a very off-target Gyokeres header and an only-just-too-high long-ranger from William Saliba and a fast-paced half ended with Trossard booked for felling Acheampong and Estevao cautioned as well for telling referee Simon Hooper to punish the Arsenal man.

Rosenior sent his Chelsea players out early for the second period but clearly it did not work as it took Arsenal a little over three minutes to double their lead.

Bukayo Saka played White in on the overlap on the right but the ball across the box that followed should have been gathered easily by Sanchez, who instead let it squirm through his gloves.

Gyokeres was alive to the possibility of one of the easiest goals of his fledgling Gunners career and poked home before any defender could intervene.

Rosenior responded with a double change and was rewarded with a deficit-halving strike from Garnacho, who had come on in the 53rd minute for the ineffective Marc Guiu.

The former Manchester United man latched on to Neto's pass to the edge of the six yard box and lashed past Kepa.

That was an instant mood-changer and it was Arsenal who had to withstand a sustained set-piece barrage but the Gunners came through it to score again through Zubimendi, who evaded Wesley Fofana to create enough space in the box to drill beyond Sanchez.

Chelsea had Sanchez to thank for the save that kept them in the tie. Substitute Mikel Merino, in space on the right of the box, lashed goalwards but Sanchez got a boot to it.

There was a near miss, too, when Gabriel Magalhaes, arriving at the back post from a corner, saw his downward header rear up off the turf and clear the crossbar.

Garnacho made Arsenal pay with his second of the night and this time it was Arsenal who couldn't cope with a set-piece.

Kepa disappeared into a mob of near-post jostlers and the substitute lashed in again. VAR had a look but decided there was no obvious foul.

Arsenal thought they had a stoppage-time penalty when substitute Gabriel Jesus was upended but an offside flag stopped that.

The winners get to take on Manchester City or Newcastle in the final on March 22 - it's advantage City at half-time in that one - but who can write off Chelsea, who somehow keep in picking up silverware despite shedding managers, or Arsenal, who have not won this competition since 1993.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 5; Acheampong 6 (Badiashile 53, 6), Fofana 6 (Hato 75, 4), Chalobah 7, Cucurella 6 (Adarabioyo 81, 3); Santos 7, Fernandez 7; Estevao 7, Pedro 6 (Mheuka 81, 3), Neto 7; Guiu 5 (Garnacho 53, 7).

Arsenal (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga 7; White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Timber 7; Odegaard 6 (Merino 68, 5), Rice 7 (Havertz 82, 3), Zubimendi 7; Saka 7, Gyokeres 6 (Jesus 82, 3), Trossard 7 (Martinelli 68, 5).

Referee: Simon Hooper 6.