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THE FACTS
When is Middlesbrough vs Chelsea on and what time does it start? Middlesbrough vs Chelsea will take place on Tuesday 9th January, 2023 – 20:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Middlesbrough vs Chelsea? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Middlesbrough vs Chelsea on in the UK? Sky Sports have the rights to the Carabao Cup so it is worth checking their schedule for Middlesbrough vs Chelsea
Where can I stream Middlesbrough vs Chelsea in the UK? If Middlesbrough vs Chelsea is televised on Sky Sports, subscribers can stream Middlesbrough vs Chelsea live on Sky Go
THE LOWDOWN
MIDDLESBROUGH
Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough are seeking to emulate the ‘Boro side of 2004 that reached the final of this competition and then went onto win it, defeating Bolton Wanderers at the Millennium Stadium. The Teessiders have had an inconsistent campaign thus far and come into this one on the back of a 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.
The Smoggies matched up well against the Premier League high-flyers before Matty Cash’s late strike from long distance sent The Villains through. Carrick will have to refocus his players’ mind as a hectic January schedule ramps up with Middlesbrough intent on also breaking back into the top six and the playoff places in the Championship.
CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side have been very bizarre this season. Genuinely extremely underwhelming performances have been the norm for The Blues but the west Londoners have began to grind out results and if they can put in more of the improved attacking displays that we have seen at times then they will finally be aiming higher than mid-table in the Premier League.
Their run to this round of the competition has been a fairly fortuitous one with a penalty shootout victory required against Newcastle United in the quarter-finals last month, having previously edged by the likes of AFC Wimbledon and Blackburn Rovers as well as nudging past a rotated and distracted Brighton and Hove Albion side.
THE TEAM NEWS
MIDDLESBROUGH
Michael Carrick is having to deal with several absentees due to international duty. Samuel Silvera and Riley McGree are both in the Australia squad at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, whilst goalkeeper Seny Dieng is a part of the Senegalese side defending their AFCON crown.
‘Boro will be without Hayden Coulson now after his loan to Blackpool was completed on Monday afternoon. Paddy McNair is expected back at some stage this month, as is Lewis O’Brien and Marcus Forss but all are not expected to be involved this week.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Glover; Van Den Berg, Fry, Clarke, Engel; Howson, Barlaser; Jones, Greenwood, Rogers; Coburn
UNAVAILABLE: McGree (International Duty), Dieng (International Duty), Silvera (International Duty), O’Brien (Injured), McNair (Injured), Forss (Injured), Lenihan (Injured), Smith (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino has said there is ‘nothing new’ in terms of injuries so The Blues will head to the Riverside with the same squad that defeated Preston by four goals to nil in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday evening.
That means Christopher Nkunku, who had recently returned from an injury, will be missing once again. The likes of Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella, Lesley Uguchukwu and Ben Chilwell are all also absentees for this week.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sterling; Broja
UNAVAILABLE: Nkunku (Injured), Fofana (Injured), James (Injured), Lavia (Injured), Sanchez (Injured), Chilwell (Injured), Ugochukwu (Injured), Chalobah (Injured), Jackson (International Duty)
QUESTIONABLE: Chukwuemeka (Injured), Badiashile (Injured)
THE PREDICTION
Middlesbrough have a bit of an injury and availability crisis with several key first-teamers still unavailable for this weekend. They were a little more reactive than they may usually want to be against Aston Villa and will view this as a major opportunity to give themselves a sniff when they go to Stamford Bridge in a couple of weeks with a replenished squad so could continue to sit back. Chelsea have found some games easy to have fluency but often they have lacked cohesion in attack so, albeit remaining favourites, a low-scorer is to be expected on Tuesday evening.
TIP: CHELSEA TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS