Paul Merson criticises Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior after Arsenal beat the Blues 1-0 in Carabao Cup semi-final second leg

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has criticised Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior following the Blues’ 1-0 defeat to the Gunners in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday.

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Kai Havertz’s second-half strike secured Arsenal’s passage to the final, leaving Chelsea to reflect on missed opportunities.

Rosenior, 41, urged his squad to focus on “improvement” after the match.

Merson, speaking to Sky Sports, dismissed the comments, suggesting Rosenior’s assessment underestimated the quality of the team he inherited.

“I would love to talk to Arsenal players and ask, ‘Are you shocked what happened tonight? Did you think Chelsea would come here and have a right go?’” Merson said.

“He is talking like he came into Chelsea like they were fifth bottom in the league, they were not fifth bottom, they were still flying along. He is talking about improvement Chelsea fans won’t be happy with that, I am sorry.”

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The remarks from Merson add to the scrutiny surrounding Rosenior as Chelsea continue to face pressure to perform in domestic competitions.