Arsenal reach League Cup semis with shoot-out win over Palace

LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that the most important thing was to “generate chances”, as his side struggled before beating Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-finals on Dec 23.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was Arsenal’s hero with the decisive penalty shoot-out save that completed a miserable evening for Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.

His own goal put the Gunners ahead with 10 minutes left at the Emirates Stadium, before Marc Guehi snatched Palace’s stoppage-time equaliser in the 1-1 draw.

That set the stage for a shoot-out in which both teams scored their first seven penalties.

The Gunners will play London rivals Chelsea in the semi-finals over two legs in January and February, with Manchester City facing holders Newcastle United in the other last-four clash.

“I’m very happy. We’re in the semi-final, it’s where we wanted to be,” said Arteta.

“I’m really happy considering the amount of changes that we’ve made – the cohesion and the energy and the quality that the team showed against a team that is very, very well organised and concedes very few chances. 

“I think what we have to do is continue to generate the chances that we do and concede nothing (they had 17 shots and seven on target). I think we conceded only one shot again. We generated a lot and should have scored many more goals. And do that and trust the players.

“They showed great composure and quality in the penalty shoot-out. We had some very big open chances today to score goals and we didn’t. So trust them, keep training and try to keep improving.”

William Saliba converted Arsenal’s eighth kick and Kepa dived to his right to save Lacroix’s effort and secure an 8-7 victory.

It was a cathartic moment for the Spanish goalkeeper, who infamously refused to be substituted before Chelsea’s League Cup final penalty shoot-out defeat by City in 2019.

He also missed a spot kick in the Blues’ 2022 League Cup final shoot-out loss to Liverpool.

“We had some big individual performances. Kepa, his level of commitment with the group is just incredible,” added Arteta. “I think the players were so composed with the penalties and in the end, Kepa managed to save one. We are where we want to be.”

Arsenal are into the League Cup semi-finals for a second successive year as they chase their first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020.

The Gunners have won the League Cup only twice, with their last triumph coming in 1992-93, before any of their current squad were born.

After celebrating Christmas, Arteta’s men will turn their attention back to the title race with home games against Brighton on Dec 27 and third-placed Aston Villa on Dec 30 to close out 2025.

Winning their first Premier League title since 2004 is clearly Arsenal’s main aim this season, but lifting the League Cup in March would be a significant boost to a club starved of silverware in recent years.

Arteta made eight changes to the side who won at Everton on Dec 20, but still fielded a strong line-up featuring William Saliba, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus, who ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January, started for the first time in 345 days after returning to action as a substitute against Club Brugge on Dec 10.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner, meanwhile, was pleased with his team’s spirit despite the defeat.

“When you lose a game on penalties, you’re always disappointed,” he said.

“I’ve watched many penalty shoot-outs in my life, but I can’t remember having seen so many well-taken penalties. Somebody always has to miss, and it was one of our players but nobody is to blame.

“It’s important to build on the second-half performance and also show that great character again.” AFP