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Arsene Wenger will go full strength in the Carabao Cup as he regards it as Arsenal’s best chance of silverware.

The two-legged semi final will become a slugfest as Chelsea are also set to put out their first choice XI but it has become even more important to Arsenal after their FA Cup humiliation.

The Gunners boss rested big names like Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Jack Wilshere at Nottingham Forest but they are expected to be involved against Chelsea tomorrow. Arsenal will use David Ospina in goal but otherwise it will be a first choice line-up.

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Wenger has enjoyed great success in the FA Cup - winning it three times in the last four years - but that has now gone but Mirror Sport understands that nothing has changed on the manager’s future.

The Frenchman, 68, signed a two year deal last summer and, even though the backroom set-up is changing, Wenger has absolutely no intention of leaving early.

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Arsenal made it clear last summer that there was no break clause in Wenger’s contract to stop any debate over his future which blighted last season.

They want a senior centre half in this window and may need another in the summer when Per Mertesacker retires when they may also have to replace Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

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But Mertesacker was brutally honest about Arsenal’s performance at Forest - and admitted no fringe player “justified their selection.”

Mertesacker said: “The players who didn’t play a lot recently, no one justified their selection. That sums it up.

“It was difficult. In the first half, we played ‘in the park’ a little bit ‑ we were not precise, especially in the final third. We couldn’t get a lot of chances. Second half, there was a little bit more spirit from ourselves but they outbattled us.

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“The momentum never really changed apart from when we scored for 3-2 and he miskicked the penalty. Obviously, we expressed it to the referee but he didn’t listen.

“It is difficult to take because for those players who played it was probably their last chance to show up and show the manager that they are ready to play more games. It is not the case any more.”