Kepa keeps Arsenal in cup contention

Winning its first English title since 2004 is clearly Arsenal's main aim this season, but lifting the League Cup in March would be a significant boost to a club starved of silverware in recent years.

Arteta made eight changes to the side that won at Everton on Saturday, but still fielded a strong lineup featuring Saliba, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus, who ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January, started for the first time in 345 days after returning to action as a substitute against Club Brugge earlier this month.

Set-piece chaos

Noni Madueke, another of Arteta's changes, should have put Arsenal ahead early on, but he was twice denied by Palace keeper Walter Benitez, who produced an inspired performance.

Benitez dived to his left to keep out Jesus' close-range header with another fine save and repelled another blast from Madueke.

By the time Jurrien Timber headed wastefully over from 10 yards, Arteta must have been wondering if Arsenal would ever make the breakthrough.

Arteta sent on Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard in the second half, the latter making an immediate impact with a cross that Jesus nodded narrowly wide.

Arsenal finally broke the stalemate in the 80th minute.

Not for the first time this season, it was a Gunners set-piece that did the damage, as Saka's corner caused chaos and Lacroix, under pressure from Saliba, poked past Benitez as he tried to clear. But, Palace gave Arsenal a taste of its own set-piece medicine, equalizing with its first shot on target in the 95th minute.

Adam Wharton's freekick was headed down by Jefferson Lerma and Guehi slotted home from close range, sending the match to a shootout, and Arsenal to the semifinals, courtesy of Kepa.

AFP