Carabao Cup semi-final preview: Chelsea vs Middlesbrough

Chelsea failed to find the net in almost slapstick fashion in the first leg of this semi-final, when Middlesbrough scored the only goal of the match.

But the Blues come into this game rested, refreshed, and playing on home turf. Surely Poch can’t eff this one up?

Chelsea’s greatest desire is hardly to win the Carabao Cup, of course – though a trophy definitely wouldn’t go amiss, as the west London club struggles to adjust to the Todd Boehly regime.

But Chelsea’s results, if not their performances, have been more encouraging for fans lately; they’ve won four of their last five, and might be finding their footing. Going out to Boro could prove a dispiriting setback to that progress.

Few would expect the Blues not to get over the line on home turf, but the visitors take some small hope from that one-goal lead from the first leg.

And Chelsea’s record at Stamford Bridge is not outstanding this season. Last time out in the Prem, they could only scrape a 1-0 win against a Fulham side lacking oomph. The host’s ability to overturn the 1-0 scoreline is probable but hardly guaranteed.

Still, we can’t help think Cole Palmer might be the man to propel the Blues to Wembley.

Maybe it sounds counterintuitive after Palmer’s failure to find the net against this side a couple of weeks ago. But the Englishman will be keen to compensate for his off-target antics last time, and may be the Blues’ likeliest source of goals – he’s their leading scorer with nine league goals this season, and found the net against Fulham last time.

Palmer is 27/20 to score on Tuesday.

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