Arsenal booked its spot in the Carabao Cup final by beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday thanks to an injury-time goal by 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.
Both teams play their semi-final second leg on Wednesday with City 2-0 ahead from the first leg.