Middlesbrough host Chelsea at the Riverside Stadium in the first leg of their 2023-24 Carabao Cup semi-final.
Victory would see Boro or Chelsea head into the second leg with their fate in their own hands, whilst a draw would set up a blockbuster showdown at Stamford Bridge.
Team News
Morgan Rogers is suspended for Middlesbrough, after he picked up his second yellow card of the tournament during their Quarter-Final win at Port Vale.
New signing, Finn Azaz is ineligible to make his debut after he was cup-tied due to featuring in this competition whilst on loan at Plymouth.
Matt Crooks (hamstring) could be in contention if he can prove his fitness but Sam Greenwood is ineligible, having featured for Leeds earlier in the competition.
Anfernee Dijksteel (foot/ankle), Lewis O’Brien (ankle/leg), Paddy McNair (back), Matthew Hoppe (knock) and Marcus Forss (thigh) remain absent.
Seny Dieng, Riley McGree and Samuel Silvera are away on international duty.
Chelsea could again be without Benoit Badiashile (muscle) after he sat out the FA Cup win against Preston.
Nicolas Jackson is away on international duty at Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
Marc Cucurella (ankle), Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu (all hamstring), Wesley Fofana (ACL), Romeo Lavia (knock), Robert Sanchez, Carney Chukwuemeka (both knee) and Christopher Nkunku (hip) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Middlesbrough host Chelsea at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday 9 January in a 8pm GMT kick-off, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Middlesbrough have won one of three previous League Cup meetings against Chelsea (W1, L2)
- Chelsea are playing Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium for the first time in this specific competition, but lost 2-1 on their visit to Ayresome Park in September 1967.
- Middlesbrough and Chelsea have both scored in their two League Cup meetings not played at a neutral venue.
- Boro’s Morgan Rogers has scored in each of their last four ties in this season’s competition (W4), with three of his four goals scored after half-time.
- Four of Chelsea’s six goals in this season’s competition have been scored after half time.
Prediction
Having already faced tough top-flight opposition just days ago but in the FA Cup, Boro can take heart from their defensive discipline and organisation which is likely to be key to their chances across both legs if can keep the likes of Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling quiet.
Michael Carrick’s men however must be more clinical than they were against Villa because whenever they got a decent opportunity to attack, they just lacked the accurate end product which would of surely seen them cause a cupset.
Chelsea meanwhile weren’t much better in the first half of their eventual win over Preston before their quality prevailed in the second half but with injuries piling up, they will need to be more consistent across 90 minutes if want to win this leg.
Boro’s defensive resilience however will be an issue but if Chelsea can play the patient waiting game against a hostile home crowd, they might just have the edge going into their home leg.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 0-1 Chelsea