The EFL Cup provided plenty of drama on Tuesday night as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City navigated tense encounters to secure quarter-final spots.
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
At the Emirates, Arsenal’s young talents delivered a confident second-half performance to put Brighton to the sword. The first 45 minutes were tentative, with both sides probing cautiously, but the deadlock was broken in the 57th minute. Academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri converted a well-timed pullback from Myles Lewis-Skelly to put the Gunners ahead.
Brighton had opportunities, including a Merino header cleared off the line by Steele, but Arsenal doubled the lead in the 76th minute when Bukayo Saka pounced on a parried Harriman-Annous effort. Despite Trossard hitting the post late, Arsenal comfortably claimed the win, outperforming their 1.22 xG while Brighton underachieved relative to their 1.6 xG.
Chelsea 4-3 Wolves
Molineux hosted a rollercoaster between Chelsea and Wolves. Chelsea surged ahead early through Jamie Gittens, Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estevao, establishing a commanding 4-0 lead. Wolves, however, fought back with goals from Tolu Arokodare and David Møller Wolfe, pushing the visitors to the edge. A spectacular Gittens strike restored the two-goal cushion and sealed Chelsea’s progression despite Wolves’ spirited fight. Chelsea’s clinical finishing contrasted with Wolves’ inability to capitalize on chances, highlighting the fine margins in knockout football.
Manchester City 3-1 Swansea City
Manchester City’s trip to Swansea saw the hosts take an early lead through Goncalo Franco. City responded before half-time with a deflected equaliser from Jérémy Doku. The second half belonged to City as Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki scored to secure a 3-1 win. Despite rotation and squad changes, Pep Guardiola’s men demonstrated their depth, converting chances efficiently and controlling the game’s tempo.
Across all matches, the EFL Cup once again showcased the excitement of domestic knockout football. Youth talent, tactical adjustments, and clinical finishing played key roles, reminding fans why this competition remains a platform for emerging stars and thrilling encounters alike.
