XHAKA CAN!

Granit books Arsenal’s Wembley date with City

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1 Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg: Arsenal win 2-1 on agg

GRANIT XHAKA booked a Wembley date with Manchester City as Arsenal again shrugged off the loss of Alexis Sanchez.

Eden Hazard had struck early for Chelsea, but the Gunners were level when an effort by Nacho Monreal (right) took two deflections on its way into the Chelsea net.

And Xhaka struck on the hour to crown a display full of character by Arsene Wenger’s

men. The Switzerland international reacted quickest to prod home from close range and put Arsenal into a Carabao Cup final showdown with City on February 25. That had seemed unlikely after Hazard’s seventh-minute opener, with Arsenal looking like they could be quickly overrun. But they equalised in comical fashion, Monreal’s header bouncing off Marcos Alonso and then his Chelsea team-mate Antonio Rudiger (above) before beating keeper Wilfredo Caballero.

It is the eighth time Arsenal have reached the final of a competition that Arsene Wenger has yet to win in his 22 years at the club.

It also continued Wenger’s impressive record against Antonio Conte’s team. Since their Stamford Bridge win last February, Chelsea have failed to beat Arsenal in five meetings.