Carabao Cup semi-final draw confirmed after Arsenal beat Palace in penalty shootout

The Carabao Cup semi-final fixtures have been set, with four Premier League clubs still in the running to hoist the trophy at Wembley early next year. Arsenal were the final team to book their place in the final four, having beaten Crystal Palace on penalties on Tuesday, a week after the other quarter-final ties.

Chelsea secured their spot in the semi-finals after successfully warding off a spirited comeback from League One side Cardiff City on Tuesday evening. The Club World Cup winners initially took the lead in Cardiff, only for the buoyant Bluebirds to equalise. However, the home fans' dreams of a historic win were quashed when Pedro Neto netted the decisive goal. Now, Enzo Maresca's Blues are just two stages away from clinching their third piece of silverware in less than a year.

Manchester City, six-time winners of the tournament since the 2013/14 season, earned their semi-final berth with a 2-0 victory over Brentford at The Etihad on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola will be aiming to claim this competition for the fifth time but must first navigate past current holders Newcastle in a two-legged tie to make another trip to Wembley.

Newcastle ended their lengthy trophy drought by triumphing in last season's Carabao Cup, defeating Liverpool in an unforgettable final. Eddie Howe's team could potentially shorten their next wait to just a year, having ousted Fulham with a last-minute winner.

Both Arsenal and Crystal Palace were drawn in the selection process overseen by Jamie Redknapp and Shay Given. The match was initially scheduled for last week, but due to Palace's commitments in the Conference League, it had to be postponed.

Arsenal beat Palace on penalties after an own goal from Maxence Lacrois and a late equaliser from Marc Guehi sent the match to spot-kicks.

The semi-final stage also introduces two-leg ties, with the first leg set to kick off in the week beginning January 12, followed by the second leg three weeks later on February 2.

All attention will then turn to Wembley for the final on March 22, where one team will have the honour of being the first to claim silverware this season.

Here is the full Carabao Cup semi-final draw:

Chelsea vs Arsenal

Newcastle vs Manchester City