Arsenal Edge Palace in Shoot-out Thriller

Kepa Arrizabalaga emerged as the unlikely hero at the Emirates on Tuesday, sending Arsenal into the League Cup semi-finals after a marathon penalty shoot-out against Crystal Palace. The Spanish goalkeeper, haunted by past League Cup final heartbreaks, produced a stunning save to deny Maxence Lacroix and clinch an 8-7 victory.

The match finished 1-1 after ninety minutes of high-tension football. Arsenal appeared destined for victory following a late Lacroix own goal, but Marc Guéhi snatched a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer for the visitors. The subsequent shoot-out saw both London sides convert seven consecutive spot-kicks before Kepa’s decisive intervention.

The evening was also significant for Gabriel Jesus, who made his first competitive start in 345 days following a grueling ACL recovery. Mikel Arteta rotated his squad heavily for the quarter-final, yet maintained enough star power to keep the Gunners’ hopes of a first trophy since 2020 firmly alive.

Arsenal now faces a mouth-watering two-legged semi-final against rivals Chelsea, while Manchester City battles holders Newcastle in the other bracket. With home fixtures against Brighton and Aston Villa to close out 2025, the North Londoners are dreaming of a historic domestic double.