During his two-year tenure at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has guided the team to three semi-final appearances in three different competitions. Not bad for someone who is just starting in the world of coaching. With a 5-1 victory against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup final four, ensuring that everyone was happy ahead of Christmas Day.
In all, Eddie Nketiah scored three goals, each one better (and farther away) than the last, with his third strike a brilliant finish after an exquisite run.
The much-maligned Nicolas Pepe also got in on the action, but as involved as he may have been, it was Charlie Patino’s injury-time goal on his professional debut for the club that sealed the deal.
The semi-finals can be a one leg tie
Arsenal might be two games away from winning the Carabao Cup under Arteta if the semi-finals are reduced to a single leg to alleviate fixture congestion.
Having been granted permission to sit back and watch while Brentford, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Tottenham, and West Ham fight it out for the last three positions, Arteta and his teammates may be seated waiting for a one-leg semi-final encounter.
The Telegraph said that a possible change in format for the match, which is usually played over two legs – home and away – is being explored to assist manage the accumulation of matches that some clubs are facing as a consequence of their league’s postponements.
This was the same route taken the previous year, and if COVID has an impact on any further games, including Wednesday’s quarter-finals, the EFL will be unable to find suitable fixture dates, with the first legs of the semi-finals scheduled to take place the week commencing January 3. If COVID has an impact on any further games, including Wednesday’s quarter-finals, the EFL will be unable to find suitable fixture dates.
Although Arteta confirmed that there are now three players in his first-team squad who have tested positive for COVID, Arsenal remains one of the few teams to have avoided having a Premier League game postponed during the festive period. These players are Pablo Mari, Calum Chambers, and Sambi Lokonga, and they are all part of the Arsenal first team.
Arsenal is now only two matches away from claiming victory
With every possibility that the tie would be shortened to a single leg, Arsenal is now only two matches away from claiming victory in a tournament in which they have reached the final eight times but have only won on two occasions. Arsenal has finished as runners-up in the Carabao Cup more times than any other team.
Arsenal’s most recent trophy triumph was against Sheffield in 1993, although they have lost their past three finals against Chelsea, Birmingham, and Manchester City since then.
Two trophies in the span of two years would be welcome. This time, it is not about qualifying for the Europa Conference League, but about winning silverware and achieving success in a league that has already delivered heartbreak on three separate occasions this season.
