Declan Rice: Arsenal midfielder says side have extra desire and 'fire in our bellies' to end trophy wait after reaching Carabao Cup final

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Arsenal last tasted silverware when lifting the FA Cup in Mikel Arteta's first season in charge, but The Gunners are now just 90 minutes away from ending their six-year wait for a trophy after overcoming Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. Declan Rice revealed that previous disappointments have added an "extra desire" in the squad to ensure the 2025/26 season is one to savour.

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Arsenal overcame Chelsea to book their place in the Carabao Cup final following a 4-2 aggregate win on Tuesday night - and midfielder Declan Rice has claimed the squad is driven by an "extra desire" to end the club's six-year trophy drought.

The Gunners lifted the FA Cup in Mikel Arteta's first season in charge but there were no supporters in attendance at Wembley when Chelsea were beaten 2-1 in August 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Arteta enjoyed further success against Arsenal's London rivals in wet conditions at Emirates Stadium, inflicting a second defeat on Liam Rosenior since his appointment courtesy of Kai Havertz's stoppage-time strike on a night of few clearcut openings.

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Chelsea registered just one shot on target, leading to questions over the visitors' approach when needing a victory. But Rice, who provided the pass for Havertz's cool finish against his former club, believes Arsenal have an increased steeliness and resolve to withstand the stiffest of tests this term.

The England international told ITV Sport: "Credit to Chelsea to be fair. Since their new manager has come in they've been really, really good.

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"They changed the formation tonight and gave us problems. On another night, they could have scored but credit where it's due, our defence was incredible.

"We have a group who really want it. Whatever team comes at us, we're ready for it. When you play a team like Chelsea, they throw so many things at you physically and mentally. You've got to have that resilience to stay strong and keep going.

"We deserve it. The last three or four years, we've been at the top of the Premier League, competing and got really close but haven't been good enough.

"That's why this season we have that extra desire and fire in our bellies to go one step further in every competition. There's a long way to go but to be in a cup final with this club is amazing."

Arteta: We've waited a few years to get into this position

Arsenal became the first club in Europe's top five leagues to keep 20 clean sheets this season in all competitions, underlining the formidable defensive unit which has formed the bedrock of their challenge on all fronts this campaign.

Rice showed what it meant at full-time, celebrating passionately with supporters on a lap of honor, with Arsenal having booked their first major final showdown since that trip to Wembley in 2020.

But given that event took place behind closed doors, you have to go as far back as the 2019 UEFA Europa League final - a 4-1 loss to Chelsea in Baku - for the last time Arsenal fans looked forward to attending a final, and that was some 3,000 miles away in Azerbaijan.

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"I very much [enjoyed that], especially the end, the last minute or so when we scored the winner," Arteta told ITV Sport.

"I was pleased by the way we competed. We knew there was going to be a real battle out there given the manner that both teams set up and with the aggression that we played.

"The conditions were tough and we knew what we were playing for. We showed resilience and clarity to understand what game we had to play in certain moments.

"We generated tonight a special atmosphere in our stadium that makes such a difference. We've been waiting for a few years to get to that position. The crowd is going to be there as well, not like last time I was here, so we're looking forward to it."

Rosenior: Availability always affects your system

This result means Arsenal's scheduled Premier League match at Wolves on March 21 will have to be rearranged, with The Gunners set to face either Manchester City or Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22.

It is the first time in eight years that Arsenal have reached the showpiece of the competition, since a resounding 3-0 defeat by Man City in 2018.

Six points clear at the top of the Premier League, still in the Champions League and FA Cup, this could yet be a season of unprecedented success for Arteta and his side.

Kai Havertz celebrates scoring against his former club

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For Rosenior, meanwhile, both of his defeats in an otherwise unblemished start to life at Stamford Bridge in his opening eight games have come against Arsenal.

On Tuesday, trailing 3-2 following the first leg, the onus was on Chelsea to take the game to their opponents - but Kepa Arrizabalaga, the former Chelsea No. 1 who was in goal for Arsenal, remained largely untroubled.

Cole Palmer and Estevao were named as substitutes, introduced only in the second half, while Reece James was not named in the matchday squad due to fatigue issues.

Rosenior defended his tactical approach, explaining the reasons behind a cautious team selection from kick off.

When asked if it was his plan to bring Palmer and Estevao on later, in the hope the game would still be in the balance, the Chelsea head coach told reporters: "That was it. You saw it. You can come away from home, press all over the pitch, and you could go 2-0 up or you could go 2-0 down.

"I felt that the psychological aspect of the tie was very important as well and I felt it in the stadium, as well. [The plan was] 60 minutes, I bring on Cole and Estevao and the game opens up and we have moments in and around the box.

"I think there was a feeling in the stadium that this tie could turn. We didn't achieve what we wanted to but it's not about game plans, it's about results.

"I have to give our players so much credit for what they put into the game and ultimately their goal comes when we're just throwing the kitchen sink at the game. That's going to happen but we have to make sure that we take the positives from that.

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"The availability of your players always affects your system. The opposition system, where you are in terms of your fitness levels, in terms of the intensity that we've put into games.

"Against West Ham, we ran until the 97th minute trying to get ourselves back from 2-0 down. Then there were the emotions of Napoli... you take all of these things into account to give you the best chance to try and win a game of football.

"Unfortunately for us, it wasn't to be tonight. But I think the players, what they showed me, which is really pleasing, is they can adapt tactically and flexibly in a short period of time. That's something that encourages me because I do like to work with different systems."

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