The game is just around the corner, with the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final kicking off at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea looking to reach their eighth Carabao Cup final.

If they can reach the final and win the title, they will be the second-most League Cup winners, with Liverpool currently tied for eight and Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United tied for five.

Neither team had a disappointing FA Cup draw last weekend, with Arsenal losing a day later to Nottingham Forest, who they beat 4-0 in last season's Carabao Cup, and Nottingham Forest are without a manager due to their recent poor results.

It was the first time since 1996 that Arsenal were eliminated in the third round of the FA Cup, with Bruce Leoci in charge of the Gunners, and a few months later the Gunners appointed a new manager and the famous Arsene Wenger era began.

Prior to Sunday's game against Forest, the last lower-tier side to score four times in a game was Hull City in 1908. The Tigers beat Arsenal Woolwich 4-1 in a replay at home, when the two teams drew 0-0 in the first leg.

This is the fourth of five meetings between Chelsea and Arsenal this season, as Arsenal have already exited the FA Cup and will not have a sixth, and this is not the first time Chelsea and Arsenal have met four times in a season.

The first five meetings came in the 46/47 season, when Chelsea knocked out Arsenal in the cup after two replays, and the FA Cup in 2003/04 was repeated in the oldest top-flight derby, with 26 yellow cards and two red cards in four league and cup meetings between the two teams in the 97/98 season.

Arsene Wenger will return to the sidelines for the second leg, but it will be his assistant Pould who will be in charge of the game following a three-match FA suspension for Arsenal, with the last time Börder was involved at the Bridge was as a centre-back for Sunderland in the season opener in August 1999, a 4-0 win thanks to goals from Gianfranco Zola, Flo and Poyet.

The winner of the two legs will face either Manchester City or Bristol City in the final at Wembley on Sunday 25 February, after City came from behind to win the first leg 2-1 in the evening's game.

This is the 13th appearance of Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, after seven promotions and five eliminations in the previous 12 semi-finals, Chelsea's 16/17 goalscorers: Chelsea scored 108 goals, Jones 49, Costa 13, Hazard 9, Batshuayi 7, Willian 7, Alonso 6, Pedro 5, Bakayoko 3, Rudiger 3, Azpilicueta 2, David Luiz 2, Cesc Fabregas 2, Zappacosta 2, Drinkwater 1. N'Golo Kante 1, Kennedy 1, Moses 1, Charlie Musonda 1,

Atkinson was refereed for the second time this season, and his other game this season was at home to Manchester City in September, with Swabrick as the video assistant referee and McDonagh as assistant.

Chelsea now have the home advantage, can Jones, who has recovered from injury, play and can he continue his wonderful performances after playing? Chelsea will naturally want to get a win at home and set the stage for the second leg.

Arsenal's only League Cup knock out of Chelsea was in the fourth round of the 76/77 season at their old home Highbury Stadium, with Arsenal winning just one of their last nine away games in all competitions, winning 5-3 away in the Premier League in October '11.

Wenger has led the team to the League Cup final twice, but never won the championship, and it is also the only event that Wenger led Arsenal to not win the championship, due to the ban, Wenger can only sit in the audience to watch the Arsenal game, which will naturally have a certain impact on the team, the last game, as the defending champion of the FA Cup, Arsenal unexpectedly fell at the foot of the Championship team Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal's current league situation is not optimistic, so the team's morale is very low recently, They are keen to revive their morale with the Carabao Cup.

This season's FA Cup Arsenal has been eliminated, the league championship is basically no suspense, the same Europa League Arsenal is also surrounded by many strong teams, it is very likely to reach the top 4, but it is unlikely to win the championship, so for Arsenal to compete for four to win next season's Champions League ticket, and this season to win a domestic cup crown is the feasible way, so the League Cup as the first champion in England, Arsenal will inevitably go all out, there is no other situation.

Arsenal's semi-main striker Iwobi was banned by the manager for attending a party without permission, I don't know if he can play, Wenger is banned because of the ban, and his assistant Boulder is the commander of the field, Arsenal's main midfielder Coqueline has reached an agreement with Valencia in La Liga, Sanchez is also close to joining Manchester City, and the rotation attacker Watcott is said to be leaving the team.

In terms of personnel, Cazorla, Monreal, Giroud, Koscielny, Kolasinac, and Ramsey will all be sidelined, and Sanchez, Mustafi and Xhaka are also suffering minor injuries, so Arsenal are in turmoil right now.

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In the home players' lounge, the team's coach Kodic was smiling and straight, and was loudly saying the last words before going on the field to the energetic players in front of him: "I am really very happy that we were able to achieve this result today, it is your hard work, I am proud of you, I believe you will achieve better results, this is an important game, but you don't have pressure, let go of the baggage, go into the game easily, and try your best to win." ”

Captain Cahill stood up and said in a loud voice: "Coach, don't worry, we will definitely go all out and fight for victory, you say, we will definitely win, right?" ”

The crowd also stood up excitedly and said, "Yes, victory must be ours!" Victory must be ours! ”

Kodic looked at the unprecedentedly high spirits and united players in front of him and knew that his first Premier League title would no longer be a dream.

"Very good, our goal is the same, now let's fight!" Finally, Kodic waved his hand.

"Victory!" Captain Cahill yelled and began to leave the dressing room with his main players.

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'The players from both sides started coming in, the game was about to start, and Stamford Bridge, the 42,000-seat stadium was packed, and the whole stadium was a sea of blue except for a small area.

The starting line-up of both sides: Chelsea: goalkeeper: No. 13 Courtois, defenders: No. 28 Azpilicueta, No. 27 Christensen, No. 2 Rudiger, midfielders: No. 4 Cesc Fabregas, No. 6 Drinkwater, No. 7 Kante, No. 3 Alonso, No. 15 Moses, forwards: No. 10 Hazard), No. 19 Costa, Jones is sitting on the bench, I don't know if he can play.

Arsenal: Goalkeeper: No. 13 Ospina, defenders: No. 21 Chambers, No. 20 Mustafi, No. 16 Holding, midfielders: No. 10 Wilshere, No. 29 Xhaka, No. 24 Bellerin, No. 30 Niles, forwards: No. 17 Iwobi, No. 23 Welbeck, No. 9 Carrazette, Arsenal is now full of injuries, and the scene is Chelsea. ”