Steve Claridge
Ex-Leicester striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Reuters

That is just not a challenge that should be made. Risky business.

It's 50:50 but Clayton has finished it with his studs high. I have seen plenty sent off for a challenge like that. 

Marcos Alonso is very much disregarding the 'back' element of wing-back so far.

His touchmap shows his attacking intent.

Image source, Opta

There's steam coming of me keyboard, this game is breathless. 

Chelsea take another quick free-kick, but possession is gifted to Boro by a loose Matic ball.

Fabio and Traore combine, and the latter feeds into Negredo in the box, but Chelsea clear. 

Middlesbrough pile forward and earn their first corner of the match, but Stewart Downing's ball-in is cleared easily by Cesc Fabregas.

The Spaniard goes down in pain after a heavy tackle from Adam Clayton. Looks sore, but he's fine to continue. 

Middlesbrough are now trying to crowd Chelsea out at the back. They're playing very deep.

But the Blues retain possession easily, and once again Fabregas loops a long ball to find Marcos Alonso unmarked, but he puts his shot across goal.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea fans chant "we're top of the league" - Boro fans respond with "we're going down."

Hard to argue on either count to be honest.

Diego Costa earns Chelsea a free-kick out wide on the left. 

It's whipped in by Cesc Fabregas but David Luiz can't get his massive hair on to it.

It's all Chelsea in the opening stages, as predicted. 

Image source, Reuters

Less than 90 seconds in and Chelsea nearly take the lead!

Cesc Fabregas lofts the ball to Marcos Alonso and his half-volley is tipped on to the woodwork by Brad Guzan.

Here we go! Under way at Stamford Bridge. 

This is very sweet...

Mark Schwarzer
Ex-Middlesbrough keeper on Radio 5 live

It doesn't look good for Middlesbrough. 

It's a matter of when they go down as opposed to will they at all, and they need to look to the future and how they come back up again. 

I said at the start of the season, they didn't recruit anyone with real Premier League experience. 

Most of the team were untried and untested players in this league. Talented? Yes, but not players who can keep them up. 

The players are lining up in the tunnel. Chelsea captain Gary Cahill casually strolls up after everyone else, his Boro counterpart Ben Gibson is playing with his hair. 

They don't shake hands which I always think is a bit rude.

Anyway, they're on their way out and we are moments away from kick-off.

Image source, .

HA!

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough boss Steve Agnew on Sky Sports: "It's the performance we need tonight and the result will take care of itself. The payers are really looking forward to the game."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has just spoken to Sky Sports.

Did he watch Tottenham lose to West Ham on Friday?

"I didn't watch. My wife and daughter were here and I had dinner. Today we have to play a game against a side trying to stay up. It's a good chance to take three points and we need attention on the game.

On N'Golo Kante's injury: "N'Golo has suffered a muscle injury. I prefer to not risk him."

Unlike some of their rivals, Chelsea have not been involved in Europe this season and boss Antonio Conte thinks it is difficult for English clubs to succeed in the Champions League because of the strength of the Premier League.

In the past six years, five English clubs have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League - fewer than from the Spanish and German leagues.

Conte said before tonight's match: "This league is very difficult. Every single game you must fight a lot and, I think, also for this reason it's not easy to arrive at the end of a European competition.

"It is so clear here, every season will be tougher and tougher to qualify for the Champions League."

Image source, Getty Images

Every team in the top seven will play European football next season, because it contains both FA Cup finalists and EFL Cup winners Man United. No team in eighth place or below can dislodge the top seven any longer.

This means Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, Arsenal and Everton will make the cut

The top three teams will qualify for the group stage of next season's Champions League, with the fourth-placed team entering in the play-off round.

Chelsea are already guaranteed to finish in the top two, and Tottenham are close to doing so. Realistically, that leaves two Champions League places between Ma City, Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal, with the two unsuccessful teams joining Everton in the Europa League.

Image source, Getty Images

Julio Arca
Former Middlesbrough captain on BBC Radio 5 live

Defensively Boro have been good but they didn't score many goals this season and that was the main problem. 

They are playing a lot better - I watched them against Sunderland where they had some spells of good football. Against Manchester City, they were unlucky to concede four or five minutes before the end. 

Steve Bower
Match of the Day commentator

I was at Goodison last weekend to see Chelsea take a significant step towards the title before West Ham helped them even closer on Friday night. They now have a chance to wrap it up before Spurs kick a ball again.

Antonio Conte's team have produced when it's mattered and even when they have suffered a set back, their response has been that of champions.

Their home form has been a wonderful foundation for them to be top since 5th November and they will be confident of moving within one win of lifting the trophy with victory over Middlesbrough.

The league's lowest goal scorers have only a flicker of light at the end of the survival tunnel and know for them too it's all about the victory. Tottenham, you feel, won't be holding their breath.

It's really not been their season, has it?

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