Carabao Cup: How do the bookies rate the chances of the final four?
![Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea - Carabao Cup semi-finalists](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.planetsport.com%2Fimage-library%2Fland%2F700%2Fl%2Fliverpool-arsenal-tottenham-chelsea-carabao-cup-22december2021.webp&w=3840&q=75)
It's a star-studded semi-final line-up for the Carabao Cup, but who is most likely to go on and win it?
Arsenal
The Gunners were in ruthless form to dismiss Sunderland in the quarter-finals, eventually cruising into the semi-finals by virtue of a 5-1 win.
However, there is obviously a huge difference between a home win against League One opposition and coming through a two-legged semi-final against the kind of opposition left in the competition.
That said, Arsenal are unburdened by Europe this season and so have shown consistent commitment to fielding strong line-ups in the cup under Mikel Arteta.
They are also in some pretty impressive form. The goal they conceded to Sunderland was the first time they had to fish the ball out of their home net since early November.
That is going to make them tough to beat over two matches, so they will be really fancying their chances of winning the competition.
Arsenal will face Liverpool in the semi-finals, and the Reds' high-press style will certainly test the Gunners' new-found composure on the ball.
Tottenham
Like Arsenal, Tottenham don't have Europe to distract them after their Europa Conference League elimination was confirmed.
Going out of that competition won't have bothered Antonio Conte too much, but falling two or three Premier League games behind most of their rivals certainly will.
The untimely COVID-19 outbreak that cost them their Europa Conference League place has also seen two Premier League games postponed, meaning they have played just 15 matches compared to the 18 of the top four.
That scheduling seems manageable for now, but adding two more games for the Carabao Cup semi-finals into the already busy schedule may make Conte think twice about how much he can push his top players from a physical point of view.
They have the quality, and the coach, to win this competition, but whether they can physically manage it given the fixture pile-up is the big question.
Tottenham will face Chelsea in the semi-finals, and Conte has promised to "give everything" against his former club.
Whether that will be enough over two games may depend more upon Chelsea's attitude than Tottenham's, though.
Chelsea
A COVID-19 outbreak saw them field a very young team against Brentford in the last eight and it was still enough to knock out Premier League opposition - albeit a weakened one - away from home.
The fact of the matter is that Chelsea could well be the team to beat here. They have the squad depth, the quality and the winning mentality.
Chelsea will come up against Tottenham in the last four, and that won't be easy with former Blues boss Conte feeling extra motivated to get one over on the club who sacked him.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp picked a very young team too, which only really serves to highlight how formidable the Reds are right now.
If Klopp maintains that policy, and it's hard to see why he wouldn't as long as the Premier League title race is on, then Liverpool are the outsiders now.