It was the latest display of Arsenal’s power and aggression, their remorselessness. And when it was over, this Carabao Cup semi-final felt firmly within their grip. But for a late goal from the Chelsea substitute, Alejandro Garnacho, his second of an eventful cameo, it would surely have been over.
Even so, it was difficult on this evidence to predict anything other than Arsenal progressing into the final; moving closer to a rare piece of silverware under Mikel Arteta – one to pave the way for others this season.
Arsenal brought the physical fight. There were times when they seemed to bully Chelsea, when they made Liam Rosenior fret on his first home game as the Chelsea manager. They scored the opening goal from a set-piece, of course, Ben White converting from a Declan Rice corner – Arsenal’s 24th from a set-piece this season. And they got a second from Viktor Gyökeres, the Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez dreadfully at fault as he was for the opener.
