Three Things We Learned After Arsenal's Carabao Cup Win At Chelsea 

Semi-final first leg advantage achieved, but it should really have been more in a dominant display.

Here's Ian Mills with his Three Things We Learned after Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-2 in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

1 - It’s Viktor, Viktor Gyokeres:

– After 15 games without a goal from open play and critics lamenting our decision to splash the cash on the Swede last summer, Viktor Gyokeres answered all those questioning his form in the best possible way with his most impressive all-round display since joining the club.

His hold up play throughout was great and he offered a genuine outlet in attack, as we streamed forward to attack the Chelsea goal. After the half time interval, we doubled our lead when Robert Sanchez failed to grab Ben White’s cross and Gyokeres was on hand to finish from close range. He then combined well with Martin Zubimendi, with the latter emphatically adding our third goal.

2 - Saliba is supreme:

– William Saliba had been deemed a ‘doubt’ by Mikel Arteta in his pre-game press conference however whether that was mind games or not, the Frenchman produced a truly authoritative display not only with disciplined defending yet also with bringing the ball out of defence to build attacks. He also had one fine effort on goal which whistled over Sanchez’s crossbar.

While talking of defenders, a word too for his fellow back four. Ben White was superb at right back and headed home our first goal from a corner (his first goal for us since a double in the home league versus the same opponents in April 2024). He also got an assist for Gyokeres’s strike.

The King of Brazil was immense again and Jurrien Timber once again displayed his defensive adaptability by moving across to left back and performing imperiously.

3 - Magnificent Martin – Martin Zubimendi is not only in the kind of form that explains why so many top clubs wanted his signature, he is also staking a claim to be the best signing of last summer for any club.

Here, he was superb again, calm on the ball, always with time and control to size up his options. His range of passing is exemplary and whilst he appeared to be signed primarily as a defensive midfielder, there is far more to his game than that.

He has added goals and got his fourth of the campaign as he latched onto Gyokeres’ pass then  shimmied past one defender, faked to shoot, making a fool of Welsey Fofana in the process then rifled the ball home with his left foot. 

This was the second of four straight away games and after successive victories in both domestic cup competitions, the focus now turns to a tricky fixture at the City Ground on Saturday teatime versus Nottingham Forest.