Carabao Cup Semi-Final, Chelsea vs Arsenal - Preview

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Chelsea vs Arsenal is always an intriguing game

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Chelsea

Chelsea, the five-time winners, will give this semi-final tie special attention as the realistic chance of winning the Premier League title is gone. New January signing Ross Barkley is fit again after missing six months of action and could be named on the substitutes bench having trained with the team.

Eden Hazard is expected to start the game as he seems to have recovered from his calf injury. David Luiz is expected to be rested as he played for the full 90 minutes in FA Cup tie against Norwich at the weekend as he has just returned from injury. Alvaro Morata will start, dropping Batshuayi to the bench.

Arsenal

Arsenal are expected to start a very strong team as they were embarrassed by Nottingham Forest in FA Cup this past weekend which they lost 4-2. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are both expected to return to the starting eleven along with Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere, while Aaron Ramsey could feature as a substitute later on in the game. David Ospina is expected to start again, while Per Mertesacker and Mathieu Debuchy will make way for Callum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi.

CHELSEA XI

Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Moses, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Hazard, Pedro; Morata

ARSENAL XI

Ospina; Chambers, Mustafi, Holding; Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles; Sanchez, Lacazette, Ozil

Prediction

Arsenal are without quite a few key players and will start as the underdogs. Chelsea, on the other hand, will target the Cup as they have tough fixtures against Barcelona coming up in the Champions League and the Premier League is pretty much out of reach. Playing at home, Antonio Conte's men should be able to take an advantage to the Emirates at the end of January.

Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal

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