Arsenal on ‘mission’ to beat Chelsea in EFL Cup semi-final, says Arteta

Mikel Arteta has described it as his “mission” to knock Chelsea out of the EFL Cup and deliver Arsenal’s first major trophy in almost six years as the Gunners look to move on from what he called a “painful” semi-final exit last season.

Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday for the first leg of their latest final-four match, in which Arteta could be without as many as four defenders.

Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are all ruled out, while there are significant doubts over William Saliba’s fitness, potentially forcing Arteta to play a makeshift back line.

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Arteta on EFL Cup semi final

The competition carries particular significance for Arteta after last season’s 4-0 aggregate defeat by Newcastle at the same stage.

The defeat was compounded by a Champions League semi-final defeat and finishing 10 points behind Premier League winners Liverpool in second, leaving the 2019/20 FA Cup as Arteta’s only trophy since taking charge.

Arsenal enter the tie competing on four fronts, leading the Premier League and Champions League standings and reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win at second-tier Portsmouth on Sunday.

“Football gives you another chance,” Arteta said. “We have been really consistent again in this competition and now we have to knock another big team out to be in the final. That is the mission.

“Hopefully, we have learned from last year because it was painful, especially in the manner that the games went, and the amount of chances we missed to go through. So this year we want to be better and more efficient.”

Arsenal trophies: Arteta ‘belief’

Arteta believes lifting the trophy could have a transformative effect on his squad.

“When you get to this stage in the competition, you get to the final, and you get it over the line and win it, it brings a different kind of energy,” he said.

“It brings belief and the sense that the objective is very, very close and that is a massive motivation for everybody.”

Christian Norgaard is an option to deputise alongside Gabriel at centre-half if Saliba is unavailable. Leandro Trossard, who has scored seven goals this season, is also a doubt.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine matches but face a Chelsea side reinvigorated by the arrival of new head coach Liam Rosenior, who began his tenure with a 5-1 FA Cup win at second-tier Charlton Athletic.

The game is Rosenior’s first at home since being appointed Chelsea boss.