Mikel Arteta confident Arsenal can use ‘magical’ League Cup final spot to boost season

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal will use the "magical" momentum from reaching the League Cup final to drive their Premier League title push.

Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg of the semi-final on Tuesday, with Kai Havertz scoring late to secure a 4-2 win on aggregate.



The result sent the Gunners into their first final in six years,who had lost their previous four semi-finals: the 2025 Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup, and the 2021 Europa League.

Arsenal will face either Manchester City or Newcastle in the final at Wembley on March 22.

City hold a 2-0 lead ahead of the second leg of their tie.

Arsenal are having a strong season, sitting six points clear at the top of the Premier League and reaching the Champions League last 16 after winning all eight group matches.

"Well, it's the best vitamins that we can put in our bodies because we're playing every three days," Arteta said.

"The fact that you work so hard to achieve those moments and to have these moments together, it's just magical, because you can see the joy, the smile, the energy in the dressing room and everybody who works at the club.

"Winning helps in every sense. Confidence, energy, you call it. We're going to be there in a few weeks.

"In the meantime, we know that we need to just put it aside, because three days later, we're going to have a massive game here in the Premier League, and we're on all fronts. That's where we want to be. So let's keep moving."

The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium highlighted the importance of the moment for Arsenal supporters, who have waited years for another final appearance. The club last won the League Cup in 1993 and are aiming to claim their first trophy since the 2020 FA Cup.

Arteta said the team has learned from past disappointments and showed maturity across both legs against Chelsea.

"We are so happy. Over the two games, we deserved to go through. We wrapped it up at the end in a beautiful way, with Kai scoring the goal in the manner that he did and the reaction from the crowd," Arteta said.

"The players give us every day their reasons to trust them and to play them and to make sure that they feel part of that. We have an excellent group. The quality, obviously, is there.

"This is about learning from previous experiences. The way the team competed and understood what we had to do was really impressive. And now let's win the final."

As Arsenal focus on Wembley, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior faced his first major setback.

He had won six of his first seven games since taking over from Enzo Maresca after moving from Strasbourg.

"We're disappointed not to go through, albeit against a very good team, but we can't let this set-back affect our future," he said.



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