^ ^ Jurrien Timber praises ‘amazing’ Chelsea duo after Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final win

Jurrien Timber helped Arsenal reach the Carabao Cup final (Picture: Getty)

Jurrien Timber says Arsenal did an ‘amazing job’ to beat ‘great team’ Chelsea and advance to the Carabao Cup final.

Mikel Arteta’s side defeated Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate after winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge and 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

Boasting a one-goal lead going into the second leg, Arsenal’s superb defence once again proved crucial as the Gunners nullified a Chelsea side who had won six of their seven games under new boss Liam Rosenior.

With Chelsea desperately seeking a goal to take the tie to extra-time, Kai Havertz scored an injury-time winner to guarantee Arsenal’s place in the March 22 final.

Timber praised ‘great team’ Chelsea after Arsenal’s semi-final win and singled out Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian for praise.

Neither Palmer or Estevao started against Arsenal, with the former still recovering from an injury and the latter only just returning from Brazil where he was on compassionate leave, but Timber said their second-half introductions highlighted Chelsea’s strength in depth.

‘Chelsea are a great team,’ said Timber, who will now feature in his first final since joining Arsenal in 2023. ‘They have some amazing players.

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Chelsea fell short in the Carabao Cup semi-final (Picture: Getty)

‘Bringing Palmer and Estevao on, they also have amazing players coming off the bench. When you win over two legs twice, I think you have done an amazing job, so credit to the team.

‘The desire is there – we are very hungry. We are in an amazing position.’

Timber added: ‘The atmosphere at the end just makes me smile. On to Wembley!

Kai Havertz’s late goal sent Arsenal through (Picture: Getty)

‘Kai did amazing, for him to be out for so long and come back and the love he gets from the fans says a lot.

‘You could feel it coming, he goes around the goalkeeper, and you know everyone is going to go crazy.’

Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice also praised Chelsea after helping the Gunners reach the Carabao Cup final, where they will meet Manchester City or Newcastle United.

‘Credit to Chelsea to be fair. Since their new manager has come in they’ve been really, really good,’ Rice told ITV.

🗣️ "To be in a cup final with this club is AMAZING." Declan Rice is the Player of the Match 👏🥇#ITVFootball | @Carabao_Cup | 🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/y6cUKitwd4

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 3, 2026

‘They changed the formation tonight and gave us problems. On another night they could have scored but credit where it is due, our defence was incredible.

‘We have a group who really want it. Whatever team comes at us, we’re ready for it. When you play a team like Chelsea they throw so many things at you physically and mentally.

‘You’ve got to have that resilience to stay strong and keep going. We deserve it. The last three or four years we’ve been at the top of the Premier League competing and got really close but haven’t been good enough.

‘That’s why this season we have that extra desire and fire in our bellies to go one step further in every competition. There’s a long way to go but to be a cup final with this club is amazing.’

Arsenal and Chelsea both return to Premier League action this weekend, with the Gunners facing Sunderland and the Blues visiting basement boys Wolves.

Arteta’s side are hoping to clinch the league title for the first time since 2004 and boast a six-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are fifth as they chase Champions League qualification, one point behind resurgent Manchester United.

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^ ^ ‘Embarrassing’ – Mikel Arteta urged to drop Arsenal star after Chelsea cup win

Arsenal beat Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta has been advised to put Viktor Gyokeres at the ‘bottom of the pile’ after his ‘embarrassing’ contribution to Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final win over Chelsea.

The Gunners booked their place in March’s Carabao Cup final with a 4-2 aggregate win over Club World Cup holders and London rivals Chelsea.

Arsenal had a one-goal advantage in the tie after winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge and nullified dangerous Chelsea in the home leg.

A goalless stalemate looked inevitable before Arsenal settled the tie in injury-time through ex-Chelsea star Kai Havertz’s counterattack goal.

Havertz started on the bench but came on for Gyokeres with 20 minutes remaining after a subdued performance from the £64m Arsenal summer signing.

Gyokeres had scored four goals in six games before Wednesday’s clash against Chelsea but this was another step back from the former Sporting striker, according to ex-Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol and former Venezuela forward Alejandro Moreno.

‘Viktor Gyokeres has been giving six months now,’ Nicol told ESPN. ‘Mikel Arteta has giving him six months to separate himself from [Gabriel] Jesus, [Kai] Havertz and [Mikel] Merino.

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Viktor Gyokeres during Arsenal’s win over Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

‘I was trying to defend him at the start because the way Arsenal play isn’t exactly helpful for a centre forward but I still thought he was good enough to score goals.

‘I thought he was good enough to get some goals out of nothing but so far he hasn’t been able to do any of those things and he hasn’t been able to separate himself from Jesus, Havertz or Merino.

‘So if you’re Mikel Arteta before every game you’ve got a decision to make. Gyokeres should actually probably be going to the back of the queue now because you have to contribute somewhere and he’s not at the moment.

Kai Havertz secured Arsenal’s place in the final (Picture: Getty)

‘With Jesus and Havertz, they absolutely contribute outside of the box. So I said he hasn’t separated himself from the other forwards, he might actually be at the bottom of the pile right now.’

Former Arsenal Player of the Season Robson agrees that Gyokeres should come out of the team and believes Jesus will be called upon to start this weekend’s Premier League game against Sunderland.

The Gunners, chasing a first league title since 2004, boast a six-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Saturday’s clash with impressive Sunderland.

Gyokeres’ ’embarrassing’ heat map against Chelsea (Picture: ESPN)

Asked whether Gyokeres’ performance against Chelsea will renew the conversation over his place in the team, Robson said: ‘It certainly does because Gyokeres once again did only okay.

‘The commentator said he only touched the ball once in the first 30 minutes and that tells you he either wasn’t making enough runs or his teammates weren’t looking forward enough.

‘It’s probably both but you want him to be more involved in the game, he’s got to run the channels and be stronger when the ball comes up to him.

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‘When the ball went the other way Joao Pedro did more than Gyokeres did, he doesn’t seem to be able to hold the ball up at the moment and bring others into play whereas Joao Pedro did it quite often for Chelsea.

‘There’s still some work for him to do. Last year we were saying Kai Havertz isn’t a good enough centre forward but maybe he goes back to that role because Gyokeres hasn’t done good enough.

‘We said they didn’t win the title because they haven’t got a proper centre forward, they’ve got one now who cost a lot of money but he’s not quite at the races.

Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea fell short against Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

‘I think Jesus probably starts against Sunderland if he’s fit. He’s a confidence player and he’s scored a few goals recently and looks sharp and hungry.

‘Gyokeres is okay at a lot of things but I don’t think he’s better than the others.’

Moreno described Gyokeres’ heat map at the Emirates Stadium as ’embarrassing’ after the Sweden international had just ten touches of the ball and completed only one pass.

‘That heat map is embarrassing,’ the three-time MLS Cup winner said. ‘He played for 69 minutes and had 10 touches and only one completed pass.

‘I understand Arsenal do not play through their centre forward but the heat map tells you his movement isn’t all that sharp or abundant. That’s embarrassing, ten touches.

‘Maybe he’s getting frustrated and is stop making runs but that’s the worse thing a centre forward can do. There isn’t a whole lot of movement with Gyokeres, it’s an embarrassing heat map.’

Arsenal will face Manchester City or holders Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on March 22.

Pep Guardiola’s Man City boast a two-goal advantage ahead of the second leg of their semi-final tie against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium.

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^ ^ Eddie Howe sends message to Arsenal over Sandro Tonali transfer deadline day move

Eddie Howe appears to be steeling himself for a battle to keep Sandro Tonali (Picture: Getty)

Eddie Howe has issued a defiant message and warned Arsenal they have no intention of losing their talismanic midfielder Sandro Tonali.

The Italy international was reported to be the subject of interest from the Gunners who were scouring the market for an option to offer cover for the injured Mikel Merino.

Newcastle moved swiftly to reject any notion of the former AC Milan star joining the Premier League leaders and Howe echoed that sentiment in his press conference ahead of tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City.

He said: ‘There was no intention for our side to lose Sandro at all. He’s such an integral part of what we’re doing. He’s very happy here, he loves playing for Newcastle and loves representing the city.’

Asked if he feared Monday’s rumours were the start of campaign to unsettle the player in the same way Alexander Isak was over the summer before his acrimonious move to Liverpool, Howe added: ”I don’t think so.

‘But lots of things happen without my knowledge. As far as I’m aware we’ve got a player that’s an outstanding footballer and an outstanding person. He’s very happy here and he’s got a great relationship with me, his teammates.

‘Our best players are always going to be attracting glances from other clubs, that’s just the reality of football. We want to keep the group together and keep being progressive.

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🗣️ "There was no intention from our side to lose Sandro [Tonali]"Eddie Howe has responded to links that were reported on Deadline Day that Arsenal wanted to sign the Newcastle midfielder. pic.twitter.com/fpYgqhuzxF

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 3, 2026

‘Sandro plays a part in that trying to hit his best levels and trying to help the team. I don’t see an issue but I’m not in control of everything.’

Newcastle will be looking to overturn a two-goal deficit this evening in order to make it through to a third successive League Cup final and Howe insists Tonali is in the right frame of mind to feature.

He said: ‘He’s absolutely fine I had discussions with Sandro yesterday, he’s absolutely focused on the here, the now, playing for us.

‘His only focus talking to him was on Manchester City and trying to win that game so there’s no issue with Sandro himself. He’s happy and committed.

Sandro Tonali will hope to help Newcastle battle back from 2-0 down against Man City (Picture: Getty)

‘I find it difficult to talk about things I don’t know about. I can only talk about Sandro the person and the player and his mindset here and now and he’s absolutely fine.’

Pressed as to whether his side are capable of booking another trip to Wembley at the expense of a City side licking their wounds following last Sunday’s draw at Tottenham, he added: ‘We very much have to have that belief.

‘The second goal in the first game was obviously a big disappointment for us, coming so late, but we still believe and we have to believe.

‘I believe we have got the players that can go to any stadium in the world and perform and score goals. I think collectively the spirit within the group is there.

‘It’s going to be an almighty challenge – there is no bigger challenge than Manchester City away. I think we say that every time we play them but we believe in ourselves and are going to give it a good go.’

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^ ^ Tyrique George gives two reasons he has swapped Chelsea for Everton

Everton have snapped up Tyrique George on loan for the rest of the season (Picture: Getty Images)

Tyrique George has joined Everton on loan from Chelsea and says there were two reasons chose to move to the blue half of Merseyside for the rest of the season.

The England Under-21 international has joined the Toffees on a temporary deal and will be looking for the game time he found it difficult to come by at Stamford Bridge.

The 19-year-old made his professional debut for Chelsea in August 2024 and has made 37 appearances for them in total, scoring six goals.

He was a regular in their run to the UEFA Conference League title last year and has got on the pitch this season, but has made just four Premier League appearances.

There has been interest from other Premier League clubs, with Fulham coming close to agreeing a permanent move in the summer transfer window, but Everton snapped up the winger on deadline day this week.

George could have chosen other paths, but says the fans and the manager were key factors in choosing to stick wit the Toffees.

‘I’m really excited to be here and to enjoy this massive club. I just can’t wait to get started,’ said the new arrival.

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Donning a new blue. 😮‍💨💙 pic.twitter.com/0cQmSnvo61

— Everton (@Everton) February 2, 2026

‘The fans here are exceptional. I know Evertonians are really passionate. They like hard work – and that’s what I’m going to show. I want to be exciting and I want to impress them.

‘The gaffer, David Moyes, was another reason [I wanted to join]. He’s an amazing manager who has coached so many players, like Wayne Rooney, and players like that. I’ve had a brief conversation with him and he’s an amazing person as well.

‘I just want to enjoy it, learn under him and improve.’

David Moyes is hoping to unleash the potential of the talented youngster (Picture: Getty Images)

He added: ‘I feel ready, ready to make an impact. It feels like an exciting time for the club.

‘I’m going to attack this new challenge. I want to hit the ground running as quickly as possible and hopefully I can do that.

‘I’ve seen some pictures of [Hill Dickinson Stadium]. It’s massive and looks amazing, so I’m really looking forward to playing there.’

George has one Premier League goal to his name (Picture: Getty Images)

Moyes has had to move to bring in a wide forward after a serious injury suffered by another loan signing, Jack Grealish.

A stress fracture to the England international’s foot looks set to keep him out for the rest of the season, which means George will have a significant role to play in his absence.

‘Tyrique is a versatile forward who can play all across the front line,’ said the Everton boss. ‘I hope he will settle quickly into our squad, and the support from our fans will definitely help him feel at home. We are looking forward to working with him.’

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^ ^ Mikel Arteta responds to speculation he could sign his former Arsenal teammate

Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were teammates at Arsenal for five years (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta refused to rule out the possibility of signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a short-term contract following confirmation of Mikel Merino’s injury.

The Spain international is set to undergo surgery on a damaged foot and will miss the majority of a run-in during which the Gunners will hope to end their long wait for major silverware.

With Ethan Nwaneri unable to be recalled from his loan spell at Marseille, Arsenal have only Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard remaining as recognised central midfield options.

Merino’s setback led to a deadline day scramble to find suitable options to cover for the former Real Sociedad star but that search bore no fruit with the only arrivals on Monday coming in the shape of teenagers Evan Mooney and Jaden Dixon.

An initial inquiry for Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali was immediately dismissed but Arsenal could look to revisit their interest in the Italy international come the summer.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, has been training back at Arsenal over the course of the last month having been without a club since leaving Besiktas in August.

‘We explore every option,’ said Arteta when asked whether his former teammate could represent a solution to his squad’s lack of midfield option.

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Arsenal are back in action this evening looking to protect their slender advantage over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg and Arteta has launched a passionate defence of his side’s style of play by revealing he has a ‘massive book of people’ who feel his side are the ‘most exciting in Europe’.

In some quarters, Arsenal have attracted criticism for their perceived reliance on goals from corners and set-pieces. Fourteen of their 46 goals in the league this season have arrived from corners.

But when put to Arteta that some critics have taken aim at his brand of football, the Spaniard replied: ‘I hear completely the opposite, all around Europe that we are the most exciting team in Europe.

‘The most goals, the most clean sheets, the most this. Maybe I have different resources?

Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal in the same 2011 summer transfer window (Picture: Getty)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been training with Arsenal since January (Picture: Getty)

‘I don’t know which people (have said that). You send me the names, the addresses, and the emails and maybe we can talk, but I can give you a massive book of all the people (who don’t think that).’

The 2020 FA Cup remains the sole silverware of Arteta’s six-year reign, but it would appear unimaginable at this stage that his side would end another season empty-handed.

The Carabao Cup may be significant with a possible meeting in the showpiece on March 15 against Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester City.

And Arteta knows winning the competition could prove a catalyst in his side’s trophy ambitions.

He added: ‘You work to win many trophies, and the enjoyment that that brings; the confidence, the trust, the belief, and unlock something in you, and then you want more.

Arsenal are 3-2 up against Chelsea from the first leg (Picture: Getty)

‘And it’s a cycle that you want to repeat constantly, and we still have to do that, and some of them, they’ve never done it, so it’s always a first time.

‘But the group is really convinced that we have the ability to do it. We’re also very conscious that that’s nothing, and we have to work every single day, and that’s all we focus on.

‘I expect the crowd (tomorrow) to be like it’s been all season, and the last few seasons, which is with us. We have had some incredible moments together, and tomorrow we have to push all the energy and optimism that we can, and in a few weeks be at Wembley together.’

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^ ^ Why Arsenal can’t recall Ethan Nwaneri to solve Mikel Merino injury blow

Ethan Nwaneri is on loan at Marseille from Arsenal(Credits: Matthieu Mirville/DPPI/Shutterstock)

Arsenal are unable to recall Ethan Nwaneri from his loan spell at Marseille in order to solve the headache created by Mikel Merinio’s injury.

The Spain internatioanl will undergo surgery for a foot injury sustained during a 3-2 loss to Manchester United last week, the club said on Sunday.

Merino was absent during Arsenal’s 4-0 win against Leeds United on Saturday and the north London club said Merino will be out of action for an indefinite period, after medical reviews confirmed a bone injury on his right foot.

‘Mikel will have surgery in the coming days and will then begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme,’ Arsenal said in a statement on their website.

‘Mikel is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season.’

The former Real Sociedad star, one Mikel Arteta’s most trusted foot soldiers, added on Instagram: ‘Time to sotop now with a foot injury.

‘Sometimes life throws this kind of challenges when it is less convenient. Just another opportunity to be strong, resilient and overcome it. We have the best medical team and together we will come back stronger.

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‘Thank you all, your support means everything to me and I can’t wait to be back on the pitch soon, helping my team and doing what I love.’

A lengthy absence for the 29-year-old represents a major headache for Arteta given his experience.

Arsenal are now scouring the market on deadline day for cover and have already been linked with a shock move for Sandro Tonali.

Mikel Merinoi is set to undergo surgery on a foot injury (Picture: Getty)

Newcastle won’t let Sandro Tonali leave on deadline day (Picture: Getty)

Newcastle have rejected the idea of their midfielder moving on deadline day, while Arsenal will be unable to bring Nwaneri back to north London given the terms of his loan deal.

The teenager boasts vastly different qualities to those of Merino, but the game time that was in such short supply during the first half the campaign would now have been available.

Arsenal will, however, have to pursue alternative options with the gifted midfielder set to continue his development in Ligue 1 for the remainder of the season.

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