Kai Havertz sealed the deal for Arsenal with a last-gasp goal in stoppage time, sending them past Chelsea 1-0 on the night and into the Carabao Cup final. That win, added to their 3-2 lead from the first leg at Stamford Bridge, means Arsenal are now just one step away from ending their trophy drought.

Havertz, who used to wear Chelsea blue, made sure Arsenal booked their spot at Wembley—marking their first final since lifting the FA Cup in 2020. He calmly rounded Robert Sanchez and slotted home with practically the last kick.

This season’s been rolling along nicely for Arsenal. They’re six points clear at the top of the Premier League and sailed through the Champions League group stage without dropping a point. Now, the Carabao Cup offers Arteta his first shot at silverware this year and only the second in his six years in charge.

Most likely, Arteta will run into some familiar faces in the final. Manchester City, his old club, have a two-goal cushion over Newcastle ahead of their own semi-final at the Etihad.

Unlike the first leg—a wild, open game—tonight was tense and cagey. Liam Rosenior, fresh off five straight wins, packed Chelsea’s defence with five at the back to keep Arsenal quiet. It mostly worked. The only real threat in the first half came when Piero Hincapie forced Sanchez into a decent save from distance after 18 minutes.

Arsenal usually make set pieces count, but Chelsea had a plan. They left three attackers upfield for every Arsenal corner, which forced Arsenal to hold back and took the sting out of their routines.

Just before halftime, former Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had to punch away a strike from Enzo Fernandez.

The second half started with Arsenal still in control, but Chelsea were hanging around, just one goal behind on aggregate. In the hour, Cole Palmer and Estevao came on to chase an equaliser. Cucurella and Fernandez both tried their luck from a distance, but nothing came off.

Arsenal started to look a bit nervous. Declan Rice tried to settle everyone down—his teammates and maybe the crowd, too—as the tension ramped up.

Gabriel had a good chance to put things to bed with 14 minutes left, but Cucurella got in the way of his header from Martin Zubimendi’s cross. Down the other end, Wesley Fofana’s flick from a corner zipped just past Kepa’s post. Fernandez then blasted over as the clock hit 90, with six minutes of stoppage time to go.

Chelsea kept pushing, but honestly, they never really looked like they were forcing extra time. Then, right at the death, Havertz latched onto Rice’s pass and finished coolly. Arsenal march on, their season just getting better and better.

Mikel Arteta knows he needs his Arsenal squad’s depth to get them through the season, especially if they want to finally bring home that Premier League trophy. He’s already watched his team handle injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel. Honestly, they’ve managed all that pretty well—Arsenal are still fighting on four fronts. But things never run perfectly, do they? Now, with Mikel Merino sidelined and needing surgery for a foot injury, Arteta faces his first real crisis of the season.

The January window slammed shut before Arsenal could bring in a quick fix. So, Arteta has to figure things out with what he’s got.

Let’s start with the obvious: Havertz. When Arteta signed him in 2023, he talked up Kai’s versatility, even hinting he might fill the Granit Xhaka role. That didn’t exactly click at first. Havertz looked awkward compared to Xhaka, and soon enough, Arteta moved him up the pitch. That late goal against Brentford? It showed he can drift in behind defences and pop up with something special. Eventually, Havertz shifted into the centre forward spot, but it wasn’t some overnight transformation. He grew into the role, and his strong finish last season convinced the club not to chase another striker in the summer.

But things change fast. Havertz spent most of 2025 recovering from a knee injury. Now, Gabriel Jesus is healthy again, Viktor Gyökeres is banging in goals, and suddenly Havertz has real competition for minutes up top. With Merino out, maybe it’s time to push Havertz back into midfield—the role Arteta always imagined for him. Sure, neither Havertz nor Merino is a natural playmaker, and both can get a bit clumsy in tight spaces, but Havertz brings a physical edge and always finds a way into the box.

What about the mavericks? When Arsenal falters—which, to be fair, doesn’t happen much—Arteta takes heat for playing it too safe. He likes structure, set pieces, and muscle over pure chaos. Once, Ødegaard ran the show, but his influence seems to be fading. Saka’s brilliant but calculated. Eberechi Eze? Outside his derby hat-trick, he hasn’t really caught fire in north London.

If Ethan Nwaneri hadn’t gone out to Marseille on loan, he might’ve gotten his shot. Now, Arteta might have to trust the unpredictable guys—the ones who can turn a game on its head. Maybe it’s time to let the creative sparks loose, even if it means stepping a little outside his comfort zone.

Eze’s arrival last August felt like the start of something big. The crowd greeted him like a hero, but so far, it just hasn’t clicked. He’s not the missing puzzle piece, not yet. Still, there’s time. Last year, around this time, he hit his stride for Crystal Palace. Who’s to say he can’t do it again for Arsenal?

In the end, Arteta just needs to let it play out. Sometimes, the unexpected answers are the best ones.

Assuming Arteta doesn’t flip the whole system, Arsenal’s midfield probably leans on Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi working together. That third spot? It’s wide open. Ødegaard used to be the obvious pick, but now Eze is battling to earn Arteta’s trust, and Havertz might drop deeper into midfield since Arsenal have plenty of attacking options.

But Arteta has another card he could play.

Myles Lewis-Skelly turned heads at left back, and honestly, it’s easy to forget he’s a natural midfielder. That’s why he looked so comfortable sliding into an inverted role for both club and country—he just gets those central spaces.

Lately, he’s slipped down the pecking order, with Piero Hincapié stealing his minutes. Still, Arteta clearly rates the kid—he gave him his first real shot, after all. With Merino out, Lewis-Skelly could be a solid rotation option in midfield.

He doesn’t give you what Merino does in the air or on the ground, but he’s tough in a duel and great at moving the ball through the lines. Plus, he can ride a challenge and carry the ball forward, which helps Arsenal push up the pitch.