The Gunners’ path in the League Cup was pretty sure: victories over Port Vale and Brighton, a dramatic quarter-final with Crystal Palace, where the fate of the confrontation was decided by a nervous penalty shoot-out, as well as a bright first leg against Chelsea. Despite somewhat of a slump in the Championship since that game, Arsenal gave a resounding reminder of their strength with a 4-0 demolition of Leeds on Saturday and Arteta’s men now approach the crucial derby with renewed confidence.

For Chelsea, this semi-final clash will be a real test of character and squad depth. After the change of coach and the arrival of Liam Rosenior, the team quickly gained momentum – six wins in seven matches, five of which in a row, including brilliant comebacks against Napoli and West Ham, speak for themselves.

Despite losing the first leg against Arsenal, the Blues kept their opponents in suspense until the final whistle thanks to a brace from Alejandro Garnacho. It is also important that Chelsea approach the match in excellent mental condition, although their head-to-head record in North London remains disappointing, with a ten-game winless run against Arsenal and three successive defeats at the Emirates.