The Blues struck four times before half-time as Jonny Howson‘s own goal, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer put Mauricio Pochettino’s men on the road to Wembley next month.
Chelsea stormed into the League Cup final with a 6- 1 thrashing of alternate- league Middlesbrough to fluently capsize a 1- 0 first leg deficiency at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. The Blues struck four times before half- time as Jonny Howson’s own thing, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer put Mauricio Pochettino’s men on the road to Wembley coming month. Palmer and Noni Madueke piled the pain on Middlesbrough in the ending stages on a night that could prove the turning point in Pochettino’s early reign in charge.
A much tougher test awaits against either Premier League leaders Liverpool or original rivals Fulham on February 25, but there are promising signs for the Argentine that an extravagantly- assembled yet still raw team is beginning to come together.
“Moment we were veritably clinical in front of thing. We missed that in the first leg and we were disappointed. moment we were really good and I suppose that’s the difference,” said Pochettino.
The former Tottenham master now has the chance to win his first jewel in England football and Chelsea’s first since the club’s possessors took over in 2022 and goggled splashing out over£ 1 billion ($1.3 billion) in transfer freights.
Boro are 11th in the Championship and the gulf in class between the sides ultimately told over 180 twinkles.
The first blow of the night for Michael Carrick’s men was a tone- foisted one as expert midfielder Howson turned into his own net as he tried to help Armando Broja from tapping in Raheem Sterling’s cross.
After floundering at home in the early months of Pochettino’s reign, Chelsea have now won seven successive games at Stamford Bridge and the levees opened on Middlesbrough as the hosts set up their inflow.
Disasi was only deputising at right- back due to injuries to Reece James and Malo Gusto, but the Frenchman played a huge part swinging the tie in Chelsea’s favour.
Originally, he combined beautifully with Sterling to forecourt for Fernandez to put the five- time League Cup winners in front on total.
Disasi also showed the countenance of a striker to stroke home Sterling’s low cross for just his alternate thing for the club.
Still, the fourth was a gift from the callers as Daniel Barlaser coughed up possession inside his own box and Palmer kept his head to roll in his 10th thing in 23 games since his move from Manchester City, If the alternate and third pretensions owed much to Chelsea chancing their form.
Of the huge investment made by Chelsea’s possessors over the once 18 months, the£ 40 million splashed out on Palmer is looking the stylish steal.
The England transnational stroked home Conor Gallagher’s pass to make it 5- 0 13 twinkles from time.
“He’s a player with an amazing gift,” said Pochettino on Palmer.” He is a player who understands the game. He has the quality and gift to see the situation, to read the game in all aspects and is so protean.”
Substitute Madueke’s trouble also had too important power for Rav van den Berg to clear off the line.
But there was a scruple of consolation for the thousands of travelling suckers from Teeside who continued to vociferously back their side all night.
Morgan Rogers may have been playing his final game for Middlesbrough as Aston Villa line up a move for the 21- time-old before the end of the January transfer window.
Rodgers showed why he’s attracting Premier League interest with a fine finish into the far corner from outside the box two twinkles from time. Know More Latest Football News…
