Jamie Redknapp has backed Arsenal to win “two or three” trophies after beating Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final. It was a night that manager Mikel Arteta described as “magical”.
Substitute Kai Havertz’s 97th-minute comeback gave his former club a 1-0 win in a hard-fought battle at the Emirates Stadium that night, as the Gunners recorded their fourth successive defeat in the semi-finals and won 4-2 on aggregate.
With this victory, which secured six points from first place in the Premier League to the round of 16 of the Champions League and the fourth round of the FA Cup, they can continue the season on four fronts as they aim for their first win since the 2020 FA Cup.
The Gunners will face either Manchester City or Newcastle in the final on March 22. sky sports Expert Redknapp believes securing a position at Wembley could act as a springboard.
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Highlights from the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Arsenal and Chelsea
“Arsenal are ready to win,” he said. sky sports.
“They have suffered from being too close over the last few years, but if you look at the squad, the depth and the way they play, they are by far the best team.
“I haven’t been in the best condition lately, but I think this result will put my mind at ease. I think I’ll be able to enjoy it more and play with more sensitivity.”
“They have been playing a bit tight and safe, but I think now they can relax and start playing. And I think we will see a better Arsenal than we saw at the beginning of the season.”
“To get to a cup final, to be six points clear in the Premier League and to be the best team in the Champions League takes an incredible amount of effort.
“There’s no reason they can’t win two or even three trophies.”
He said: “Arsenal has been aiming to win the title for the past few years.
“What the director has done is truly amazing.
“He takes a lot of criticism and people are very quick to judge the team and jump in and talk about how many set pieces they score and say ‘Are they good enough offensively?’
“Arsenal are a winning machine now.
“It’s not always pretty. It wasn’t pretty when Arsenal won the league in 1989, but there’s no picture on the scorecard.
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Clinton Morrison praised Arsenal’s defensive performance against Chelsea.
“Nobody cares at the end of the year, it’s just about having a trophy in their hands.”
Arteta thanks the crowd for booing Manchester United
Arteta had a special night for his team and thanked the crowd for their support after boos were heard following their recent 3-2 loss to Manchester United.
“I’m so happy,” Arteta said after the game. “Overall, I think we deserved to do it in both games.
“It was a long game. We expected it to be that way. The way Kai scored and the crowd’s reaction made it a great ending.”
Declan Rice celebrates victory against Chelsea.
“The starters, the finishers and the staff all came together. It was magical. It was a really tough game against a great opponent and we were really happy to be at Wembley.
“I thought the crowd today was fantastic. They brought a lot of energy and belief to the team at different moments. I think we all deserve to be together at Wembley.”
He continued, “It is the best vitamin we can put into our bodies because we play it once every three days.
Kai Havertz celebrates scoring a late goal to send Arsenal through to the Carabao Cup final.
“The fact that they work so hard to achieve that moment and have this moment together is truly magical because you can see the joy, the smiles, the energy and everything.”
Arteta also paid tribute to the winner, Havertz, who was making his sixth appearance of the season after an injury-hit season.
“I think everyone who knows Kai will feel happy for him in a special way because he deserves the best in the way he works, the way he treats people and the way he conducts himself every day.
“Today was a special moment for him and I hope he enjoyed it because he deserved it. I think his teammates enjoyed it too.”
Analysis: Arsenal’s success built on defense
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright at the Emirates Stadium:
Havertz confirmed victory. His goal against his former club made him Arsenal’s hero of the day.
But like so many other successes this season, they were achieved through collective excellence on the defensive end. Chelsea finished the game with Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho and Estevao on the pitch but could not seem to find the goal they needed to send the tie to extra time.
Arsenal were too well organized, too combative, too strong. Remarkably, it was their 20th clean sheet in 38 games across all competitions. They are the first team across Europe’s top five leagues to reach the milestone this season.
There were a number of players who made notable contributions to this shutout. Declan Rice was a force of nature in front of the defence. Piero Hincapie had an outstanding performance at left back. Center backs Gabriel and William Saliba weren’t bad either.
But this performance was yet another reminder that for much of the season, Arsenal’s true strength lies in the group.
