Key stats
- Alejandro Garnacho has scored four goals in the 2025/2026 League Cup (two in this game), more than any other Chelsea player.
- Martin Zubimendi has scored two goals across his last five games for Arsenal, as many strikes as in his first 23 appearances for the Gunners.
- Alejandro Garnacho has scored more goals as a substitute than any other Premier League player in all competitions this season (five).
Highlights
Analysis
Declan Rice earned the highest rating of any player on the pitch, picking up a healthy 8.3 score thanks to an assist and commanding midfield display.
Match report
Rosenior had rather ironically insisted Arsenal were far more than a team who relied on set-pieces, before the Gunners struck early from a dead-ball situation.
It was a goal of alarming simplicity to concede for the Blues, with Robert Sánchez caught in no man’s land when Ben White headed home from Declan Rice’s delivery for his first goal since netting a brace against the Blues in April 2024.
Nevertheless, Chelsea’s response was encouraging.
They worked a promising opening when Enzo Fernández threaded a pass towards João Pedro, but the Brazilian dragged his effort wide. Estêvão then tried his luck following a darting run down the right-hand side before being denied by Kepa Arrizabalaga at his near post.
The hosts’ defensive vulnerabilities were clearly evident though, and William Saliba wasn’t far away from doubling Arsenal’s advantage when his long-range shot grazed the roof of the net, in what had been an intriguing first half.
It took a mere five minutes into the second half for Mikel Arteta’s men to double their advantage, in another goal which hardly left Sánchez covered in glory.
Bukayo Saka fed in White down the right, and the latter’s cross slipped the Spaniard’s grasp before Viktor Gyökeres slid the ball home.
Rosenior brought Alejandro Garnacho on from the bench in response, and the Argentine halved the deficit within four minutes of his introduction after clinically dispatching his strike at the far post from Pedro Neto’s cross.
But just when Chelsea were contemplating a comeback on the night, the Gunners delivered what could be a potentially fatal third goal.
There was nothing scrappy or fortuitous about this one, as Gyökeres deftly teed up Martín Zubimendi to twinkletoe his way through Chelsea’s defence before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed strike past Sánchez.
The Blues shot-stopper was enduring a rough night, but partly redeemed himself with a superb save to keep out Mikel Merino’s shot.
Arsenal would have been expected to see out the game comfortably from that point, but Garnacho struck again to inject more jeopardy into this two-legged time.
Neto was the architect once more, as his corner was cleared into his path to fire a left-footed shot which took a bounce before beating Kepa.
Chelsea ultimately couldn’t manage a full-scale comeback, yet despite the defeat, Rosenior would have been pleased by the determination his young side showed against this impressive Arsenal team.
Meanwhile, this will feel like somewhat of a missed opportunity for the Gunners, and Arteta will believe this tie is far from over ahead of the second leg.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal)
Post-match comments
Arsenal defender Ben White to Sky Sports:
"We didn't play very well in the second half and let them give us more pressure.
"That's how we conceded the goals. Not up to our standards, really.
"It's a bit disappointing, the second half, but a win."
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres to Sky Sports:
"I think it was a tough game. We defended well.
"They were, as always, dangerous when they had counter-attacks, but I think we defended well.
"Unfortunate to have conceded two, but offensively we scored three, so happy with that."