Chelsea vs Middlesbrough LIVE: Carabao Cup result and reaction after Cole Palmer scores twice
Chelsea will look to overturn their first-leg deficit to book a spot in their ninth League Cup final at Wembley
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Your support makes all the difference.The first finalists for this season’s Carabao Cup final has been decided, after Chelsea beat Middlesbrough with a thoroughly convincing performance and an eventual 6-1 scoreline, for 6-2 on aggregate. It was the Championship side who secured a slender 1-0 advantage in their home half of the tie but they couldn’t keep pace once the Blues got started.
A clinical performance saw Jonny Howson’s early own goal added to by Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi, Cole Palmer twice and Noni Madueke, before a late consolation goal from Morgan Rogers. The Blues will now face a late February date against either Fulham or Liverpool in the final.
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GOAL! 80’ - Chelsea 6-0 Middlesbrough
And another! Madueke rolls his man after Gallagher wins it back, steps inside two challenges in the box and fires into teh far corner, via a touch off Van den Berg who couldn’t keep it out on the line.
Six for the Blues and we’ve still ten minutes to play.
GOAL! 78’ - Chelsea 5-0 Middlesbrough
Cole Palmer again! Another slow move down the left but this time Gallagher bursts past his man, hits the byline, pulls it back and Palmer is there in two yards of space to open his body and side-foot past the keeper and into the bottom corner.
Two for him, five for Chelsea, one appearance at Wembley on the way.
74’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Howson replaced by O’Brien for Boro. Chukwuemeka is on for Caicedo for Chelsea.
Sterling slides in to close down Fry at the back and almost tackles the ball into the back of the net - corner in the end and a let-off for Boro, who don’t want this getting any worse.
70’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Gallagher immediately sprints through to a fine pass from deep and could be in for a fifth, before recovering players slide in to force him wide and Palmer’s eventual shot is deflected. Disasi then air-kicks when well-placed, after Palmer’s lifted pass.
Chelsea continue to look more likely to score another, even if the tempo and intensity has dropped considerably.
66’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Chilwell and Broja replaced by Gallagher and Gilchrist. Palmer moves up top, with Gallagher behind him for the Blues.
Alfie Gilchrist heads to right-back, meaning a switch-around in defence too with Disasi now central and Colwill on the left.
Around 25 minutes to play at the Bridge.
62’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Good work down the left sees Boro produce a cross towards Dijksteel and he tees up Rodgers - Silva comes across to make a decent block.
Pochettino will be eager for his side to see out this win with a clean sheet no doubt, even if they don’t stay in all-out-attack mode.
Van den Berg is now booked for pulling back Sterling twice.
58’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
“We’re going to Wembley,” sing the home fans. In about half an hour or so that will be confirmed; they will face Liverpool or Fulham in the final, with the second leg of that semi-final tomorrow night.
Caicedo has been very dominant in the middle for Chelsea this evening and intercepts another couple of stray passes in quick succession to keep his team in possession and on the front foot.
54’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Thiago Silva is booked for bundling over Rodgers after the attacker escaped him down the Boro right channel.
One or two counters aside, it’s naturally very comfortable for the Blues at this stage, passing around at their own pace and dominating play entirely.
50’ - Chelsea 4-0 Middlesbrough
Madueke’s first dribble yields a corner and a very sore shoulder for the winger, who lands awkwardly after a tackle. He gets treatment, Chelsea play on from the set-piece and the move ends with Chilwell passing to Colwill, who curls one wide of the far post.
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