We’ve already gone through the Blank/Double Gameweek implications of Arsenal’s EFL Cup semi-final win on Tuesday.
Now we recap the other talking points from the match at the Emirates.
RESULT
| AT HOME | GONE | RESULT | OBJECTIVES | STAFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | Chelsea | 1-0 | Havertz | Rice |
SELECTION / ROTATION
| TEAM | CHANGES FROM GAME WEEK 24 | PLAYERS WHO RETAIN THEIR PLACES (+ MINUTES) | OTHER PLAYERS (+ MINUTES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 3 | Wood (90), Saliba (90), Gabriel (90), Hincapie (90), Rice (90), Zubimendi (90), Madueke (69), Gyokeres (69) | Arrizabalaga (90), Eze (90), Martinelli (90), Havertz (21), Trossard (21) |
| Chelsea | 4 | Sánchez (90), Chalobah (90), Caicedo (90), Enzo (90), Gusto (87), Hato (60), Delap (60) | Fofana (90), Cucurella (90), Pedro (90), Andrey (67), Palmer (30), Estevao (30), Garnacho (15), Acheampong (3) |
AS HEAD OF ABSENCE SAGE OF + ODAGIS.
Absent from Arsenal’s squad on Tuesday Bukayo Saka (£10.0 million) and, unexpectedly, Martin Odegaard (£7.8 million).
Earlier in the day, reports suggested Saka was targeting a return for the North London derby. That comes in Gameweek 27, which obviously makes the winger doubtful for the upcoming Double Gameweek.
Mikel Arteta would not confirm that timeline, only offering this update before kick-off:
“He’s doing well. We have to do more tests tomorrow to understand how he’s doing. This match was too short. Let’s hope it’s not too much.” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka
“During the match [against Leeds]he felt a little niggle. We tried it yesterday, he didn’t feel comfortable. Let’s see if he’s available hopefully this weekend.” – Mikel Arteta on Martin Odegaard
Saka’s substitute, potential Gameweek 26 difference Call Maduyke (£6.8 million), again starting on the right flank. He was hooked again early, with Gabriel Martinelli (£6.8 million), ending the match on the right wing for the second successive match. It is possible that, even if Saka is absent for the entire Doubles Week, Arteta will opt for the Brazilian in that position in one of the two matches.
…AND ROSENIOR ON INJURIES TO NETO + JAMES
Chelsea had their own surprise absentees in the form of Pedro Neto (£7.1 million) and Ree James (£5.7 million). Liam Rosenior explained everything.
“Pedro [Neto] and Reece [James] suffered minor blows. They were just in too much pain for tonight. They give everything. They always raised their hands to play. Reece is an incredible captain and leader. I know Pedro is an excellent professional and a great player.” – Liam Rosenior
Estevao (£6.4m) in any case returned after being absent from Gameweek 24 for personal reasons.
KEEP PALMER FOR GAMEWEEK 25?
Chelsea’s flimsy-looking bench contained Cole Palmer (£10.4m), who only came on as a substitute in the second half.
It was more minutes management for the often injured midfielder, who has not yet started a single midweek match under Rosenior.
This benching probably bodes well for a start to Gameweek 25, but with Gameweek 26 following just 72 hours later, he could be among the substitutes again next Tuesday against Leeds United.
“Cole gave us an incredible 90-minute performance, the reason we fought back against West Ham. We have to look after him. He is a gem. We have to look after him and make sure he is right all season. But when he came on, his moments were top notch.” – Liam Rosenior on Cole Palmer
And when will Enzo Fernandez‘s (£6.8m) next breather comes? The Argentinian midfielder started his seventh match in a row here and played another ninety minutes. Moses Caicedo (£5.7m) is just one behind him in six consecutive starts.
Can the pair progress to the FA Cup fourth round weekend (Chelsea play Hull City) and then be rested? Or is Rosenior considering a postponement during Gameweeks 25 and 26?
CAGEY CONTEST
During a strange, cagey match at the Emirates, the two sides played cat-and-mouse for a long time. Arsenal, who had a one-goal lead, had just five shots all match. Rosenior, unwilling to let his Chelsea side lose the tie early, set up a 3-5-2 and only started to chase the match after an hour.
“You can come from home, press all over the pitch, mark the man and you can be 2-0 up or 2-0 down. I thought the psychological aspect of the draw was also very important and I felt that in the stadium. After 60 minutes I bring in Cole and Estevao and the game opens up and we have moments in and around the penalty area. I think there was a feeling in the stadium that this tie could be turned around.” – Liam Rosenior
The Blues had almost three times as many shots (14-5), but there were few clear openings, with nine of those attempts coming from outside the penalty area. Enzo’s three shots all came from distance, as did the only attempts from Palmer and João Pedro (£7.4m).
Before 90+7:
Arsenal (0.26) 0-0 (0.71) Chelsea
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) February 3, 2026
The better chances were for Arsenal: Martinelli failed to take advantage of a one-on-one, Gabriel Magalhaes (£7.0m) saw a header blocked from six yards, and deep into stoppage time, Kai Havertz (£7.3m) is racing towards a Declan Rice (£7.5m) pass to settle the tie once and for all.
Both teams will show much more attacking ambition in Gameweek 25 as big favorites for their respective league matches. We can’t really judge either attack on a cautious second leg where the state of the game dictated proceedings. However, Arsenal’s defense once again looked imperious and withstood Chelsea’s late pressure with almost ease. The defensive triple-up in Double Gameweek 26, anyone?
#FPL #Notes #Absence #Saka #Odegaard #James #Neto #explained