Carabao Cup: Arsenal hold Chelsea at Stanford Bridge

Arsenal recovered from the humiliation of their FA Cup third-round exit at Championship side Nottingham Forest to earn a battling draw in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Chelsea.

The Gunners, with manager Arsene Wenger watching from the Stamford Bridge press box as he serves a technical area suspension, showed the resilience that was missing at the City Ground to frustrate Chelsea.

According to BBC, Arsenal were also the beneficiaries of careless Chelsea finishing, with Cesc Fabregas and Andreas Christensen culprits with poor headed efforts, while keeper David Ospina saved well from Victor Moses and Alvaro Morata.

Alexandre Lacazette blazed Arsenal’s best chance over the bar in the first half but there was no doubt they were happier with the result to set up the second leg at Emirates Stadium.

Referee Martin Atkinson consulted the video assistant referee (VAR) system on two penalty claims, when Moses tangled with Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the first half and for Danny Welbeck’s last-minute challenge on Fabregas, but he was satisfied enough with the evidence relayed to him not to award a spot-kick.

The two sides will meet in the second leg at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, 24 January.