Carabao Cup: Newcastle vs Man City and Chelsea vs Arsenal in semi-final first legs, live on Sky Sports
Watch the Carabao Cup semi-finals live on Sky Sports; Newcastle lost 2-0 Man City on Tuesday ahead of Chelsea's clash Arsenal on Wednesday; both games kick-off at 8pm; the second legs will take place on February 3 and 4; the final is on Sunday March 22 at Wembley
Wednesday 14 January 2026 08:10, UK
The Carabao Cup returns to Sky Sports this week for the first legs of the semi-finals.
Holders Newcastle United suffered a 2-0 defeat Manchester City at St James' Park on Tuesday ahead of Chelsea's clash with Arsenal on Wednesday at 8pm.
Arsenal are home to Chelsea on Tuesday February 3 before Manchester City vs Newcastle on Wednesday February 4 in the return legs.
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The final takes place at Wembley on Sunday March 22 and will be live on Sky Sports.
Ahead of this week's fixtures, Sky Sports' football journalists have looked at the key talking points from the semi-finals...
Arsenal must park title charge while there are hopes of a trophy
Mikel Arteta has got a delicate balancing act between now and May. Plenty will say it's wise to ditch the domestic cups in favour of maintaining Arsenal's pace atop of the Premier League. I think that would be a mistake.
All eggs in one basket is a risky game. If one cracks, there are teams, or one team at least, still positioned to capitalise. Arteta knows first-hand the threat of Manchester City and their ability to snuff out winning streaks at opportune moments. The title race is far from over and there are no guarantees.
Arteta has been gifted the most robust squad in the league precisely for this reason. It's designed to stand the test of time across a season where Arsenal go deep in every competition. It has already ridden a demanding festive period, emerging with a six-point advantage on City - nice breathing space. Back yourself while all possibilities are open.
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The Spaniard needs a trophy and one of his own making; he cannot claim the 2020 FA Cup having inherited the squad midway through the season. Arsenal haven't even made a final since then.
Beating Portsmouth in the FA Cup on Sunday with a weakened team should act as further proof Arteta can rotate and still expect to win games, no matter the opposition. Patience in the project has to be rewarded with trophies and titles at some point, not simply 'progress'. That word carries less and less meaning the longer the wait goes on.
Failure cannot be an option for Arteta this time round. He must go to Chelsea with the same winning mentality he's worked so hard to forge.
Laura Hunter
Arsenal test could set the tone for Rosenior reign
Liam Rosenior's first game as Chelsea head coach went as well he could have hoped - a 5-1 win at Championship side Charlton. But his first real test comes on Wednesday, when Arsenal visit Stamford Bridge in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, live on Sky Sports.
The size of the occasion speaks for itself. The Premier League leaders, a foe from across the capital who are unbeaten in their last seven trips to Stamford Bridge, are in town, and a place at Wembley is at stake. Rosenior is making his maiden appearance in front of Chelsea's home fans - and first impressions count.
Enzo Maresca, his predecessor, wasn't loved by most of the fanbase, but he was respected - largely for his tactical nous in the biggest games. He engineered victories over Barcelona and Liverpool, and an impressive draw with 10 men against the Gunners in recent months, before departing on New Year's Day.
Can Rosenior emulate that success? That's the big question mark hanging over him. His work at Derby, Hull and Strasbourg shows he's a good coach. But is he good enough to compete with the likes of Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola? Is he good enough to win the trophies Chelsea fans demand?
Scepticism is understandable. Rosenior was greeted warmly by the away fans at The Valley, but the same can't be said for those who appointed him. Chelsea have regressed since last season and now another head coach has left amid a rift with the club's decision-makers. Behdad Eghbali, the co-owner, and several of the sporting directors have been targeted by the away support in the past week.
It's a difficult atmosphere for Rosenior to step into. It will be even harder if his side slump against the Gunners, providing those who suspect he wouldn't have been handed the job were he not already at Chelsea's sister club further ammunition.
The best way to win over any sceptics, and help to quell the displeasure at his bosses within the fanbase, is by winning. Doing so against Arsenal would be a good start. Doing so at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final would be even better.
That's why Wednesday is so big for Chelsea and Rosenior. It could go a long way to setting the tone for his reign.
Joe Shread
