The schedule for the Carabao Cup semi-finals, which will see Arsenal facing Liverpool, and Chelsea facing local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, has been released. The four teams had booked their spots in the semi-finals mid-week, and the two-legged semi-finals promise to be scintillating fixtures, with Arsenal and Spurs looking to end their long-running trophy droughts.

The first legs of both semi-finals will be played in London, with Chelsea hosting Spurs at Stamford Bridge, and Arsenal hosting Liverpool at the Emirates stadium. The Chelsea vs Spurs fixture will take place on January 5, followed by the Arsenal vs Liverpool fixture on January 6.

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The reverse fixtures will take place a week later, with Spurs hosting Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Liverpool hosting Arsenal at Anfield on January 12 and January 13 respectively.

While Arsenal qualified with ease with a resounding 5-1 victory over Sunderland at home, courtesy of a Eddie Nketiah hattrick, and goals by Nicolas Pepe and Charlie Patino, Liverpool, Spurs, and Chelsea had to work for their victories. 

Chelsea travelled to Brentford and after dominating the game in terms of possession and chances, managed to clinch an unconvincing victory, courtesy of a Brentford own goal and a stoppage time penalty that was dispatched by Jorginho. Spurs, meanwhile, hosted arch rivals West Ham, and managed a 2-1 win after a hard fought game, courtesy of first half goals by Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura.

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Perhaps the most entertaining quarter-final tie was the one between Liverpool and Leicester City, played at Anfield. With several players down with COVID-19, Liverpool fielded a weakened side, with Salah and Mane absent from the squad. The match saw the hosts go down 1-3 by the 34th minute, courtesy of a brace by Jamie Vardy and a goal by James Maddison. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain managed to drag one goal back, but the hosts looked well out of the game at the end of the first half. Substitutions at the beginning of the second half revitalised Liverpool, who made it 3-2 thanks to a Diogo Jota goal. Liverpool equalised in dramatic fashion at the end of stoppage time through a Takumi Minamino stunner, taking the match to penalties. A nail-biting shootout ensued, with Liverpool’s replacement goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher emerging as the hero with two stops, as Diogo Jota dispatched a penalty during sudden death to book Liverpool’s spot in the semis.