Highlights: Chelsea - Middlesbrough | Semi Final | Carabao Cup 23/24

Chelsea vs Middlesbrough in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Wembley awaits for one of these teams. A slender one-goal advantage after the first leg on Teesside. Now Chelsea need the Stamford Bridge faithful to help them overturn the deficit and book a place in next month's final. Two changes for Chelsea from the team that started against Fulham here. Ben Chilwell returns as captain on his first start since September. The other alteration sees Mikhailo Mudrik come in for Conor Gallagher. Mudrik was the hero against Newcastle here in the quarter-final. Mano Gusto is the latest injury victim, so we're expecting Atzel Dizazi to start it right back. Borough make three changes from the first leg. Isaiah Jones, so influential at the riverside, is injured. Johnny Howson has passed the late fitness test. But Borough, as I say, heavily depleted. Latte Laff amongst the injured. Three players are on international duty and three are cup tied. We're going to have a minute's applause before kick-off. Tommy Baldwin passed away yesterday, 92 goals in 239 games. The key player in the first Chelsea side to win the FA Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners' Cup the following season. Thiago Silva looking for the run of Chilwell, which is a really good one. And he challenges Glover. Oh, and it's just wide. He says he was fouled by the goalkeeper. He was brave to go for it because he could have taken a whack. Lovely bit of vision from Thiago Silva. But how about the run from Ben Chilwell? Palmer drifting out into a wide position. Chilwell had to race to get to the ball ahead of Fawes. He did well and he did even better to keep it away from Crooks. And that's a lovely pass as well. And here's Raheem Sterling. Back for Breuer. 1-0 Chelsea. And Breuer's lead wiped out. A big, big goal from Armando Breuer. A lovely Chelsea move. Breuer had a bit to do with the finish, but he made sure that he did it. It's Chelsea 1, Breuer 0. Who got the vital touch there? It might have been Johnny Howson. The replay will clear it up. All we know for sure at the moment is that Chelsea are 1-0 up. We don't need to worry about any intervention from the officials. Di Zazee seeing plenty of it. Chelsea using the wick whenever they can. They might be able to get on the end of this as well. Cut back for Breuer. There's Enzo Fernandes. It's 2. Chelsea ahead in the tie for the first time. Enzo Fernandes with his second goal in the Carabao Cup this season. And the Blues double their lead just before the half hour. Measured, intricate football once more. The big moment, I think, is Di Zazee making it to the pass before Clark. This little reverse pass flick from Sterling. Clark just hesitates. Breuer's is a shot, but it turns into the most perfect of passes. We see it again here with Sterling's little flick. And then Clark just hesitated and allowed Di Zazee to get to that ball. And that little miss it, if you like, turns into the perfect assist. But Enzo Fernandes is not going to miss from there. Palmer. Lovely take. Nice pass. Fernandes for three. If he caught hold of it, Glover would have had a big problem. Yeah, I think he should score here. Brilliant from Palmer. We've seen that. We saw it against Fulham, didn't we, a few weeks ago. The reverse pass. Certainly showing that they're capable of doing something on the break. Three minutes of different story, though. And here's Sterling. Di Zazee's continued his run. Here's Axel Di Zazee! Oh, what a goal! Axel Di Zazee. With a moment to remember. And Chelsea are 3-0 up. And look as though they're on their way to Wembley. He started it. And boy, did he finish it. It's been a breathtaking 15 minutes or so. And once again, feature of the first half, really. So aggressive. Those Chelsea defenders stepping out and winning that first ball. He's so determined there in front of Hackney. Palmer's delivery really good and just continuing his run. And then it's all about can Sterling find the pace on the pass, I suppose, and the angle. As Matt Clarke's closing him down. But he just feeds it into Di Zazee. Doesn't have to break his strike. Wonderful goal. Oh, mistake has given Palmer the ball. He can score. He has! Cole Palmer makes it 4-0 to Chelsea. Another goal for him this season. And he's up to double figures now. This one came with a bow on it, I'm afraid, from a Middlesbrough perspective. But Palmer, who so struggled to find the net at the riverside, has exercised those demons here in the first half. A fourth goal for the Blues. Is it Wembley? Here we come. It certainly looks that way. Chilwell playing right wing for the moment. Finding Colwell. And he's looking to bend one. If it had come back a little bit later, it would have been a big problem for Glover. Good decision. Excellent play. Good awareness, I think, from Levi Colwell that the opportunity was on to strike. Wand disguised in a football boot with his left foot. And Sterling. Silva. Macedo. Palmer. Brilliant. Di Zazee looking for his second of the night. He's annoyed he didn't get it. Yeah, it's a beautiful pass. Palmer. Beautifully timed run. He's just trying to help it into the far corner of the net. Doesn't get anything on it. It's difficult with that spin on it. Really trying to keep it a tight game. Palmer for five. Brilliant. If you don't leave him alone, he'll punish you. He's ruthless. Cole Palmer. Eleven goals for the season now. It's only January. He's already beaten Chelsea's top scorer in all competitions last term. Lots of people who'd like his shirt. Lots of people who'd like him in their team as well. A man in form. 21 years of age with the world at his feet. Cole Palmer. Yeah, he's been great again tonight. It's as much about the ball from Gallagher, though, I would say. It's really good on his weaker side. The pace he gets on that. That he generates. And the direction is perfect. It's still quite a tough skill for Palmer to execute. Opening up the body. Weaker foot. Can you get the purchase, I suppose, is the big thing. It's perfect. Madhu Ake. Could be six here. Noni Madhu Ake. There it is. Came off Vandenberg on the line. Chelsea hit Borough for six on the way to Wembley. It's another really good pass. I think it was Conor Gallagher once more. And Matt Clarke had a bit of a problem. Because if he makes a challenge, it's going to be a penalty inevitably. They try and build on the left-hand side. And once more, just not comfortable with the ball. But Chelsea's pressure once again good. Conor Gallagher with a reverse pass. And we know when he opens up the goal like that onto his left foot. There's probably only going to be one outcome. Vandenberg does his best to get back behind Glover. And clear Middlesbrough's lines. But can only divert it into the roof of the net. And Madhu Ake is going to get plenty of these goals on his left side. Looked like it was going to turn inside the far corner in any case. But Vandenberg's the unlucky Middlesbrough man. Just thinking that Madhu Ake had been a little quiet since his introduction. But the last kind of five minutes he's sprung into life. A thousand Smuggies are disappointed. They're going to celebrate it like it stood anyway. Why not? Special moment now for Leo Castledine. He's going to come on and make his Chelsea debut. In place of Raheem Sterling. Castledine who's been starring for the Devs squad this season. Player of real promise. Attacking midfielder. England under-19 international. Only 18 years of age. From a footballing family as Dad Stewart played for Wimbledon. And this is something Sam that we've been hoping, expecting to see for quite a while now. He's been on the bench. It feels like pretty much the majority of the season. And now he's on to the pitch. Still waiting to see the best of a fit Christopher Nkunku. Rodgers has a goal! And he's found the net. And that one will count. Lovely finish from Morgan Rodgers. No clean sheet for Djordje Petrovic. But it's something legitimate for the Middlesbrough fans to celebrate. It was actually a brilliant bit of movement from Rodgers. Just spun off his shoulder. Inside left channel. And the finish is brilliant. He takes it so quickly. Just shifted it. And then let fly. Got back onside. Brilliant run down the side of Di Zazee. He's got Lewis O'Brien in support. Magnificent way to reach the final of the Carabao Cup. Chelsea have thrashed Middlesbrough in the second leg here. It's 6-1 on the night. A really terrific display from Mauricio Pochettino's team. Middlesbrough didn't show their best. But Chelsea played some excellent football here. Cole Farmer got a couple. Sam, it couldn't be more emphatic. Chelsea are going to Wembley. No, they played really well. I thought the intensity was there from the outset. Some really good performances. Some individual performances. And loads that Mauricio Pochettino would be thrilled about. The proper return of Ben Chihuahua. It was pivotal in that first half. But again, the quality of his performance. And of course, Palmer, who just gets better and better week after week. Brilliant night. A trip to Wembley to look forward to. That comes next month on Friday. Attention switches to the FA Cup. Chelsea have booked their place in the Carabao Cup final. The score on the night was Chelsea 6-1 Middlesbrough. Chelsea win 6-2 on aggregate.