Jamie Redknapp has backed Arsenal to go on and win “two or three” trophies after they beat Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final on a night manager Mikel Arteta described as “magical”.
Substitute Kai Havertz’s 97th-minute breakaway goal on the night sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium, and the Gunners ended a run of four consecutive semi-final defeats with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Six points clear at the top of the Premier League, in the last 16 of the Champions League and the fourth round of the FA Cup, the victory kept their season alive on four fronts as they aim to win their first silverware since the 2020 FA Cup.
The Gunners will face either Manchester City or Newcastle in the final on March 22. Sky Sports pundit Redknapp believes securing their place at Wembley could act as a springboard.
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“Arsenal are ready to win,” he told Sky Sports.
“They’ve suffered over the last couple of years coming so close, but I’ve seen the squad and the depth and the way they’re playing; they’re the best team ever.
“They haven’t been at their best of late, but I think this result will actually relax them. They might be able to enjoy it a bit more and play with a bit more clarity.
“They are playing a bit tight, a bit safe, but now I think they can start to relax and play, and we will see a better Arsenal, the Arsenal we saw at the start of the season.
“To get to a cup final, to be six points clear at the top of the Premier League and to be the top team in the Champions League, it’s an incredible effort.
“There’s no reason why they can’t win two or even three trophies.”
He added, “Arsenal have been set to win for the last few years.
“The job the manager has done is unbelievable.
“He criticizes a lot and people are too quick to judge and jump on teams, talk about how many set-pieces they score and say, ‘Are they good enough offensively?’
“Arsenal are now a winning machine.
“It’s not always pretty. When Arsenal won the league in 1989, it wasn’t pretty, but there’s no picture on the scorecard.
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Clinton Morrison praised Arsenal’s defensive display against Chelsea
“At the end of the year nobody cares. It’s just a matter of getting that trophy in your hand.”
Arteta thanks crowd after Man Utd boos
Arteta enjoyed a special night for his side and thanked the crowd for their support after being booed in the wake of their recent 3-2 loss to Manchester United.
“We are very happy,” Arteta said afterwards. “I think overall, in the two games we got through.
“It was a long match. We expected it. We ended it in a nice way, the way Kai scored the goal and got the reaction from the crowd.
Declan Rice celebrates victory against Chelsea
“The starters, the finishers, and the staff are all there. It was magical. Really happy because it was a really tough match against a great opponent, and we’re at Wembley.
“I think the crowd was brilliant today. They brought so much energy and belief to the team at different moments. I think we all deserve to be together at Wembley.”
He added, “It’s the best vitamin we can put in our body because we eat it every three days.
Kai Havertz celebrates his late goal that sealed Arsenal’s place in the Carabao Cup final
“The fact that you work so hard to achieve those moments and put these moments together is magical because you see the joy, the laughter, the energy and everything.”
Arteta also saluted the match-winner for Havertz, who made his sixth appearance in the promotion after an injury-hit season.
“I think everyone who knows Kai will be happy for him in a special way because he deserves the best for the way he works, the way he treats people, and the way he behaves every day.
“Today was a special moment for him, and I hope he enjoyed it because he fully deserved it. I think his teammates enjoyed it too.”
Analysis: Arsenal’s success is built on defence
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright at the Emirates Stadium:
Havertz sealed the win. His superb goal against his former club made him Arsenal’s hero of the night.
But this success, like so many others this season, was achieved through their collective excellence defensively. Chelsea finished the game with Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho and Estevao on the pitch but never looked like finding the goal they needed to send the tie into extra time.
Arsenal were very organised, very combative, and very strong. Remarkably, the clean sheet was their 20th in 38 games in all competitions. They are the first team in Europe’s top five leagues to reach the milestone this season.
There were plenty of players who contributed significantly to the latest shutout. Declan Rice was a force of nature in front of the defence. Piero Hincapie is excellent at left-back. Centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba weren’t bad either.
But the performance was another reminder in a season for many that Arsenal’s true strength lies in their collectives.
