Chelsea vs Middlesbrough Carabao Cup SF Leg 2: Preview and Prediction
Chelsea vs Middlesbrough Match Preview
- Tournament – Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg
- Date – Wednesday, January 24
- Kick-off Time – 01:30 am IST
- Venue – Stamford Bridge
Chelsea will host Middlesbrough in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash at Stamford Bridge. The Blues lost the first leg 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium on January 10. Hayden Hackney scored in the 37th minute for the Championship side.
Chelsea have had a poor season overall and sit ninth in the Premier League table. They have won nine, lost eight, and drawn four of their 21 league games so far. However, they’ve performed well in the domestic cup competitions, reaching the Carabao Cup semi-final and the FA Cup fourth round.
Middlesbrough, meanwhile, are 11th in the Championship table, 25 points behind leaders Leicester City. They were also recently eliminated from the FA Cup, losing 1-0 at home to Aston Villa in the third round.
However, they now have a big opportunity to reach the Carabao Cup final. It won’t be easy, though, with Chelsea having a home advantage.
Team News
Chelsea are without Nicolas Jackson, who is on international duty with Senegal at AFCON.
They also continue to miss several key players due to injuries, including Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Lesley Ugochukwu.
Romeo Lavia could potentially return to the squad to face Middlesbrough.
Boro, meanwhile, are without Darragh Lenihan and Tommy Smith for the rest of the season due to their Achilles tendon injury. They will also miss Seny Dieng, Emmanuel Latte Lath, and Alex Bangura for the clash against Chelsea.
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Predicted Lineups
Chelsea:
Goalkeeper: Djordje Petrovic
Defenders: Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher
Attackers: Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja
Middlesbrough:
Goalkeeper: Thomas Glover
Defenders: Rav van der Berg, Dael Fry, Lukas Engel
Midfielders: Isaiah Jones, Daniel Barlaser, Jonathan Howson, Hayden Hackney
Attackers: Sam Greenwood, Isaiah Jones, Finn Azaz
Head-to-Head
The two sides have only faced off five times previously, with Chelsea winning four times. Middlesbrough’s only win over the Blues came in the first leg earlier this month. Avoiding another defeat will take Boro to the Carabao Cup final.
Last five results:
- Middlesbrough 1-0 Chelsea – EFL Cup semi-final 1st leg – January 10, 2023
- Middlesbrough 0-2 Chelsea – FA Cup – March 19, 2023
- Chelsea 3-0 Middlesbrough – Premier League – May 9, 2017
- Middlesbrough0-1 Chelsea – Premier League – November 20, 2016
- Middlesbrough 0-2 Chelsea – FA Cup – February 28, 2013
Prediction
Middlesbrough picked up a big advantage by beating Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg of their clash. They are unbeaten in their next two games since as well, beating Millwall 3-1 before playing out a 1-1 draw against Rotherham.
Chelsea, meanwhile, beat Fulham 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League in their last game.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been highly inconsistent this season and have specially struggled against low blocks, which Boro might attempt on Tuesday. The first goal will be important and the Blues should’ve enough quality to open up the Championship side.
Predicted Score: Chelsea 3-1 Middlesbrough
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Odds (subject to change)
- Chelsea win – 1.30
- Middlesbrough win – 12.00
- Draw – 6.80
- Odds source – Oddspedia.com
Chelsea vs Middlesbrough Players to Watch Out For
Chelsea
The Blues will be highly dependent on midfielder Cole Palmer in their clash against Middlesbrough. The youngster, who arrived from Manchester City last summer, is arguably the best creator in the Chelsea squad and works well in tight spaces.
Palmer is also a big goal threat, having registered nine goals and seven assists in 22 games across competitions for the Blues this season.
Middlesbrough
Michael Carrick’s side will need another big performance from Hayden Hackney. The midfielder was excellent in the first leg aside from his goal as well.
He will need to help Middlesbrough get some control in the middle of the park against the likes of Caicedo and Fernandez. Moreover, Hackney will look to take and create chances as they look to extend their lead and eliminate the Blues.
The Englishman has played multiple positions in midfield for Middlesbrough across 24 appearances this season and registered two goals and one assist.
Chelsea vs Middlesbrough Where to Watch
- India – Fancode
- UK – Sky Sports
- US – Peacock Premium