Carabao Cup: Middlesbrough vs Chelsea Live
Preview
After experiencing different outcomes in their FA Cup third-round matches, Middlesbrough and Chelsea are set to compete in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday. The blues advanced to the semi-finals after a tense penalty shootout victory over Newcastle United, while Middlesbrough secured their spot in the final four by defeating Port Vale 3-0.
Despite eventually losing to Aston Villa in the FA Cup match on Saturday, Middlesbrough manager Carrick remained relatively positive during his post-match media duties. He was pleased to see his team compete well against the underestimated Premier League title contenders. Middlesbrough, currently positioned in the middle of the Championship rankings, managed to hold off Aston Villa for 87 minutes before a deflected goal by Matty Cash led to their defeat.
Despite the disappointment, Middlesbrough could take away some positives from the match, even though it marked their third loss in four games across all competitions. In the 2023-24 EFL Cup, Middlesbrough has showcased their attacking strength by securing victories against Huddersfield Town, Exeter City, Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City, and Port Vale, scoring at least two goals in each of those away matches.
The blues struggled to break through Preston’s defense in the first half of their match at Stamford Bridge, but they found their scoring touch in the second half. Armando Broja scored with a header, Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling also found the net, and Enzo Fernandez sealed the win with a close-range goal. Chelsea now prepare for their fourth EFL Cup final in seven years. While Middlesbrough have only played away matches in this season’s EFL Cup, Chelsea have won all their matches at Stamford Bridge and have struggled in away matches in the competition.
Head-to-head
Chelsea has won their last 9 games against Middlesbrough, with their most recent victory being a 2-0 win in the FA Cup during the 2021/22 season.
Prediction
Middlesbrough’s performance against Aston Villa, who are high up on the premier league table, deserves praise. However, the team’s tired players and new absences will greatly reduce their chances of achieving a positive result in the first leg against the blues. The blues, under Pochettino, have been consistently strong in the attacking third. Despite potentially having numerous players absent, Chelsea still has strong options for substitutions. It is likely that the blues will gain a significant lead before the return leg in West London on January 23.
