9th Feb, 2026 @ 08:35 am

Arsenal vs Chelsea Football Prediction: It won't be easy for the Gunners

Arsenal are having a fantastic 2025/26 season, with the Gunners still competing on all four fronts. Mikel Arteta's side are leading the Premier League, top their Champions League group, have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, and are on track to reach the League Cup final. In the League Cup, Arsenal easily overcame Port Vale (2-0) and Brighton (2-0) before facing Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals, where the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.

However, Kepa Arrizabalaga's outstanding penalty save secured an 8-7 victory for Arsenal, earning them a place in the semi-finals where they will face their London rivals Chelsea.

Traveling to Stamford Bridge for the first leg, Arsenal quickly took a 1-0 lead after just seven minutes before doubling their advantage at half-time thanks to a goal from Viktor Gyokeres, but a goal from Alejandro Garnacho reduced the deficit to 1-2.

Martin Zubimendi restored Arsenal's two-goal lead, before Garnarcho scored the second, giving the Gunners a 3-2 advantage going into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium. Predictions for the Arsenal vs Chelsea match heavily favor the home side, with the winner going on to face either Newcastle or Manchester City in the League Cup final.

Following their first-leg victory, Arsenal endured a worrying run of form domestically, drawing 0-0 with Nottingham Forest before losing 2-3 to Manchester United at the Emirates, but they recovered brilliantly with a convincing 4-0 win against Leeds United at Elland Road in their most recent match. Now, aiming to continue their winning streak and secure a place in the League Cup final, in pursuit of their first trophy of the season, Arsenal will have to defend their advantage against a high-flying Chelsea.

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Liam Rosenior was appointed Chelsea's head coach following Enzo Maresca's departure, and the new manager has begun to win over the Blues' fans after initial criticism of his appointment. Rosenior led Chelsea to six wins in his first seven games across all competitions, with his only defeat coming against Arsenal in the first leg.

Currently, they are on a five-game winning streak leading up to this match, including a stunning victory against Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium to secure a place in the top eight of the Champions League standings. Chelsea followed that up with a spectacular comeback from being 2-0 down at halftime to beat West Ham United 3-2 in the Premier League last weekend, with Enzo Fernandez scoring the winning goal in the 92nd minute, meaning Chelsea will be full of confidence going into this second leg.

However, Chelsea will have to overcome their recent poor run of form when facing Arsenal, as they have failed to beat Arsenal in their last 10 encounters across all competitions, and have suffered three consecutive defeats at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal will be without Max Dowman due to an ankle injury, while both Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka are struggling and their availability is uncertain. Noni Madueke could continue at right midfield in Saka's absence, potentially partnering Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres up front. Further back, Zubimendi and Declan Rice will continue in defensive midfield, while the defense is likely to remain unchanged from last weekend's 4-0 win against Leeds.

Meanwhile, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Jamie Gittens are all likely to miss Chelsea's match due to injury. Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro, and Reece James all came off the bench and made a significant impact in Chelsea's comeback victory against West Ham last weekend, and all four are likely to start. Therefore, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Jorrel Hato, and Alejandro Garnacho may all be on the bench.