Chelsea 6-1 Middlesbrough (agg 6-2) - Carabao Cup semi-final: Live score, team news and updates as rampant Blues book Wembley date after scoring four first-half goals

It'll be a welcome sight to see Ben Chilwell back in action for Chelsea. He returns tonight to captain the side.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have struggled with a raft of injuries, with the full-back having not played for Chlesea since their 1-0 win against Brighton back in September with a hamstring issue.

Chilwell has been out of action since September but tonight he'll make his long-awaited injury return for the Blues.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Gary Neville believes his return willl be a massive boost for Pochettino's side tonight.

They’ve missed him a lot and they’ve missed Reece James a lot. We tend to talk about the fact that when they’re playing, Chelsea are a better team. It’s bad for the lad that he gets so many injuries because you feel like an imposter, you feel like you don’t belong.

When I watch Ben Chilwell play sometimes when he does come back, you always feel like an injury waiting to happen. He looks a bit pensive and a bit tentative. It must be getting to a point at Chelsea where you need reliability and consistency from your defenders. You can’t always be talking about when players come back.  He’s got to try – and it sounds like the easiest thing in the world - to stay fit for a longer period. Mauricio Pochettino needs to build a team and a back four in particular.

Pochettino was also very happy to have Ben Chilwell back in the side tonight after his long injury lay-off.

He said on the full-back: ‘It’s really good. He’s one of our captains, the quality. Chilly, was difficult to use him during the whole season for six and a half or seven months, now we need to manage him. Now we need another period for him to try to arrive in his best form that can cope with 90 minutes. We know what we are doing and today he added to the team his experience and quality.

'I'm happy to recover this type of player because we are going to benefit.'

They've travelled nearly 260 miles for tonight's fixture and despite losing 6-1, they were in full voice throughout the match. Here are the scenes in the Boro away end after the game.

The Chelsea boss told Sky Sports: ‘We were really clinical in front of the goal. We missed in the first leg. I was disappointed we didn’t get the result we deserve [in first leg]. Today I think we were really good.’

On Palmer: ‘He’s a player with an amazing talent. A player that understand the game. He has the quality and the talent to see and analyse the situation, read the game, he knows the aspects, he’s a player who is so versatile, can play from the right, can play from the striker role, in behind the striker, I think he is very dynamic, we try to give some freedom for him to move. In every single situation he can find the best position for the team.

‘For me one of the most important characteristics when we don’t have the ball is in the way he presses and tries to get the ball back. I think he’s talented player. He’s still young but he’s doing fantastic for us.

He added: ‘Now I think that this is going to be a big boost for us.'

While a consolation goal for Middlesbrough, Morgan Rogers' stunning late strike means he's scored five times in the Carabao Cup this season. The most of any player in the tournament so far.

He took his goal brilliantly, curling his shot around the Chelsea goalkeeper to land the ball in the back of the net.

The stats don't lie, Cole Palmer is in flying form for Chelsea right now.

He's now amassed more goals this season than any Chelsea Player did in the whole of the 2022-23 campaign!

Despite a shaky start, Chelsea enjoyed an excellent night at Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer delivered a standout performance, scoring twice for the Blues during the match.

Ben Chilwell also enjoyed an excellent return to the pitch after coming back from a hamstring injury.

Noni Madueke and Axel Disasi also both got on the score sheet, while Enzo Fernandez scored once again at home.

Mail Sport's Adrian Kajumba delivers his Chelsea player ratings following their victory against Middlesbrough.

CHELSEA RATINGS: Cole Palmer roamed around in trademark style

ADRIAN KAJUMBA AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: It was a chastening night for Middlesbrough but this was all about Chelsea's richly assembled side, who, for the first time in a while, clicked on all fronts.

Chelsea legend John Terry congratulated 18-year-old Leo Castledine after he made his debut coming on for Raheem Sterling at the end of the match.

In fact, his dad is Stewart Castledine who used to play for AFC Wimbledon!

Reflecting on the game, Chelsea goalscorers Cole Palmer and Axel Disasi expressed their excitement at booking their place in the final of the Carabao Cup.

Disasi said to Sky Sports: ‘It was a great game. We showed another face. It’s my first time that I will go to Wembley.

'After the first game we were all angry. I tried to do my best.’

‘I hope we will keep this mentality in the championship also, to win more games. I think we are on the good way, we have another game Friday so we have to rest, stay focused, and keep this mentality.’

Palmer added: ‘After the first game we knew it would be difficult. To go to Wembley for the first time this season, it’s going to be a good day.

‘I missed three sitters in the first game and it was always in the back of my mind coming into this game.

‘We’ve not had the best of starts. Everybody knows that and we’re not trying to hide it. Going to Wembley, we’re looking forward to it.’

It was a record League Cup semi-final score for the Blues who put six past Middlesbrough to advance through to the final of the Carabao Cup.

They'll take on either Liverpool or Fulham who are set to play tomorrow, with Jurgen Klopp's side holding a 2-1 lead in the tie.

Mail Sport's Craig Hope was at Stamford Bridge for tonight's game and brings his verdict from Chelsea's 6-1 victory.

Chelsea 6-1 Middlesbrough (agg 6-2): Chelsea through to EFL Cup final

They came into the match after going 1-0 down at the Riverside, but the visitors were went a goal down after 15 minutes after Jonny Howson. Enzo Fernandez followed up with the second.