Mikel Merino receives extra motivation to reach Carabao Cup semi-finals

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Arsenal have learned who their opponent will be in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup if they can get past Crystal Palace.

Oliver Glasner’s side are not the team to underestimate by any means, as Mikel Arteta knows too well.

Arsenal and Palace met in last season’s Carabao Cup, a match that the Gunners had to come from behind to win thanks to a Gabriel Jesus hat-trick.

Jesus will hope to have a similar impact against Palace when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals, with a semi-final against Chelsea awaiting the winning team.

Moises Caicedo will be suspended against Arsenal if Gunners reach the Carabao Cup semi-final

The draw has been made for the semi-final, with Chelsea to play either Arsenal or Palace and Manchester City to face Newcastle.

Arsenal will be eager to battle their London rivals in the semi-finals, particularly as two possible advantages have already arisen.

The first is that if Arsenal do reach the semis, they will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first leg before the second-leg clash at the Emirates.

A home advantage in the decisive second leg is ideal, but there’s also good news for the Gunners if they book a first-leg visit to Stamford Bridge.

Moises Caicedo will be suspended for the first leg after picking up his second yellow card of the competition against Cardiff City.

There’s a lot of talk about Caicedo and Arsenal, with the Ecuadorian being Chelsea’s best midfielder and a former target of the Gunners.

It’s therefore a boost for Arsenal if they face their rivals without one of their best players, a boost that one player would relish more than most.

Good news for Mikel Merino

If there’s one player who won’t want to come up against Caicedo again anytime soon, it’s Mikel Merino.

Caicedo was sent off against Arsenal for a terrible foul on the Spaniard, who could’ve been seriously hurt.

Arsenal were fuming about Caicedo’s challenge on Merino, as was the player himself, admitting he knew it was bad as soon as the 24-year-old flew into his ankle.

Fortunately, if Arsenal do reach the semi-finals, Merino won’t have to come up against Caicedo at Stamford Bridge again this season, giving the makeshift striker additional motivation to beat Palace.