Arsenal overcame Chelsea 3-2 in the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals, thanks to two costly errors from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The match, held on January 15 in London, saw Arsenal take an early lead when Ben White headed in from a corner in the seventh minute. Sanchez misjudged the ball, allowing White to score into an empty net. In the second half, Sanchez made another mistake, failing to gather a low cross, which Viktor Gyokeres tapped in for Chelsea at the 49th minute.
Although substitute Alejandro Garnacho managed to reduce the deficit, Martin Zubimendi responded for Arsenal in the 70th minute, restoring their two-goal cushion. Garnacho’s second goal in the 83rd minute gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope ahead of the decisive second leg on February 3 at the Emirates Stadium. Despite this, Arsenal remains the favorite to progress to the March 22 final at Wembley, currently sitting six points clear at the top of the Premier League and leading in the Champions League standings.
Liam Rosenior, Chelsea’s new coach, was in charge of his first home match and chose not to blame Sanchez for the errors. “When my players make mistakes, I’m accountable. That’s on me,” Rosenior said. “I’ll stay positive with him, as I will with the entire group. My job is to help them, not to blame them.”
In the other semifinal, Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory over Newcastle in their first leg on January 14, setting the stage for a potential title showdown against Arsenal. This matchup would be a rematch of the 2018 final, the last time Arsenal reached this stage in the League Cup.
Rosenior, who was appointed on a six-year contract and enjoyed an FA Cup win over the weekend, faced his first true test against Arsenal. Chelsea struggled with injuries, missing Reece James, Cole Palmer, and Malo Gusto, as well as Moises Caicedo due to suspension. Rosenior expressed pride in his team’s energy, despite the disappointment of conceding. “We kept going until the end,” he remarked, pointing out the positives despite the lost opportunities.
Rosenior had previously downplayed Arsenal’s reputation as “Set Piece FC,” which relates to their effectiveness from dead-ball situations. However, the opener did come from a set piece, as Sanchez misjudged a cross that was delivered by Declan Rice, allowing White to score easily. This marked Arsenal’s 24th goal from set pieces across all competitions this season, with 18 of those from corners. Sanchez’s second mistake was more glaring, as he failed to stop a cross that should have been routine, allowing Gyokeres to score his first goal in months. Nevertheless, Arsenal will head into the return leg with confidence from their current form and performance.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/01/16/arsenal-punish-sanchez-errors-to-edge-chelsea-3-2-in-efl-cup/
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Publish Date: 2026-01-16 05:54:00
