The unique, two-legged semi-final format of the League Cup, a steadfast tradition through its many sponsorship guises from Littlewoods to Carabao, delivered its latest chapter this week. With the global football calendar in constant flux, this English quirk endures, its future perhaps hinging on Premier League pennies. This round, however, lacked a true underdog story, pitting heavyweight against hopeful in both ties.
Hosts Reminded of Their Place
The first legs presented a clear opportunity for Chelsea and Newcastle United. Sitting outside the Premier League's top four, they had a chance to land a significant blow on elite opposition and prove their credentials. Instead, Arsenal and Manchester City, the windmilling prize fighters of the piece, delivered stark reminders of the gap that remains.
At Stamford Bridge, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, despite a poor recent record in two-legged semis, emerged 3-2 victors in a London derby that flattered Chelsea. The visitors' dominance suggested the scoreline was generous, with Chelsea's vulnerability from set-pieces, particularly with Robert Sánchez in goal, a glaring concern for the second leg.
At a fervent St James' Park, the contest felt tighter, though a lengthy VAR check tested the home crowd's patience. The breakthrough for City and their eventual 2-0 win, sealed by Rayan Cherki's stoppage-time strike, left Tyneside with a palpable sense of resignation. The return fixtures now look less like comebacks in waiting and more like exercises in damage limitation.
A Wembley Showdown in the Making
Barring remarkable turnarounds, a final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley on March 1st appears the most likely outcome. This would set the stage for a compelling, spiky managerial duel between former colleagues Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola.
For Arteta, it represents a chance to add a tangible, crowd-filled trophy to the transformative work he has done at Arsenal, whose last League Cup triumph came in 1993. For Guardiola, it's another opportunity to maintain City's domestic cup dominance. After recent Wembley classics, from Klopp's kids against Chelsea's billion-pound bottle jobs to Sarri's Kepa confrontation, this rivalry promises another unique edition.
Around the Football World
Beyond the League Cup, the football news cycle continued to turn. In Africa, the Cup of Nations final was set, with Senegal to face hosts Morocco after victories over Egypt and Nigeria respectively. Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was again the hero in a penalty shootout.
Elsewhere, a report revealed sports streaming piracy in Britain has more than doubled to 3.6 billion instances in three years, often linked to unlicensed gambling. In Spain, Álvaro Arbeloa's start as Real Madrid manager began with a Copa del Rey upset, a 3-2 loss to Albacete. Meanwhile, at Manchester United, co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer visited Carrington to offer support ahead of the derby.
Transfer business saw Conor Gallagher complete his move to Tottenham Hotspur, while Andy Robertson hinted at a potential summer exit from Liverpool as contract talks continue. In Scotland, Hearts maintained their six-point lead at the summit.
