Middlesbrough vs Chelsea prediction: ENGLAND: EFL Cup betting tips on match 2024-01-08 20:00.
The first of Middlesbroughâs trio of tests against Premier League (PL) opposition ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat versus Aston Villa in the FA Cup last weekend. That was a valiant showing which should boost hopes ahead of Boroâs first League Cup semi-final since lifting their only major silverware in the competition back in 2004, and with a Wembley trip the carrot for a two-legged victory over Chelsea, boss Michael Carrick shouldnât have any trouble motivating his team.
That certainly serves as a better source of motivation than Middlesbroughâs recent form, with their last four competitive outings yielding just a single win (L3). Boro have been known to rise to the occasion in cup competitions, memorably knocking out both Manchester United and Spurs in FA Cup action in 2022, yet this is their first League Cup encounter with PL opposition since 2018, though that was curiously a 1-0 home win over London-based Crystal Palace.
Thatâs a scoreline that this unpredictable Chelsea will hope to avoid as they aim to potentially put this tie to bed early. That certainly doesnât seem beyond the Blues, who enter this clash on the back of a 4-0 thumping of Championship Preston in FA Cup action at the weekend, a result in keeping with their three wins from their last four PL rounds which has lifted them up to the heady heights of tenth.
Having won the EFL Cup five times, but not since 2014/15, Chelsea certainly have more pedigree than their hosts. Yet, their PL-high seven defeats as pre-match favourites (W7, D1, L7) may at the very least raise concerns despite their very short price. Fans of a certain vintage will hope the Blues can get another one over on Boro after the hosts relegated Chelsea over two legs in 1988, before Chelsea defeated Boro in both the FA and League Cup finals in consecutive seasons between 1997-1998.
Players to watch: Scoring or receiving a booking in four of his last seven appearances (G2, YC2), Middlesbrough club captain Jonathan Howson is one of the few remaining players from the 2-0 H2H defeat in 2022. Holding the line for Chelsea will be 39-year-old Thiago Silva, who became the oldest ever scorer for a PL side in the FA Cup last weekend, a record he would also hold in this competition should he score.
Hot stat: Each of the last five cup H2Hs ended in Chelsea wins âto nilâ, with four finishing 2-0.