Stewart Downing
Former Middlesbrough and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's a massive game, I'm really looking forward to it. Middlesbrough had a big game on Saturday against Villa, in which they did quite well, but I got the feeling they had one eye on this game coming up.

With that performance at the weekend, I think it's given them a lot of belief going into the game with Chelsea. You don't know which Chelsea team is going to turn up. You've seen the results, they've been a bit up and down. Villa were flying high in the league, they were more worried about that thinking it might be a painful scoreline, but they performed really well.

I think that's given them a lot of confidence going into the Chelsea game, but I do think they will need to get something out of tonight's game to take to that second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Middlesbrough

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Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick: "Every game is different, just because it's another Premier League team it doesn't mean it's a copy and paste job.

"We know Chelsea’s level and what they're capable of doing, but we really look forward to the game. It is a release from the week-to-week situation of going for the league, there is a freshness about it.

"It can re-energise the players, the club and the town. That is what cup competitions can bring and that is why it can be so unpredictable at times.

"It is an unbelievable opportunity for us and a great experience for the supporters. This is why you support a team - to have big nights.

"We are well of aware of Chelsea's options and the quality they have. Over recent times they have had a good run."

Stewart Downing
Former Middlesbrough and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Everyone likes to see the local lad come through and Middlesbrough have got Hayden Hackney at the minute.

Steve Gibson [Middlesbrough chairman] will be pleased about that, but he will not be pleased if someone attempts to buy him.

Steve will always want a local lad in the team, he puts in a lot of money into the academy.

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Middlesbrough forward Matt Crooks has been on a journey during his career to get to the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Premier League side Chelsea.

Not just in terms of his literal journey, which has taken in such varied locations as Huddersfield, Halifax, Hartlepool, Accrington, Rangers, Scunthorpe, Northampton and Rotherham.

Away from the highly competitive, dog-eat-dog world of professional football, the 29-year-old has lived his adult life with epilepsy, lost a long-time footballing friend, and grown up in a family with deaf parents and other deaf relatives.

Crooks was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 18, right when his journey to becoming a professional was blossoming at Huddersfield Town.

Dealing with the news, the uncertainty about what it meant for his football aspirations, and the condition itself were all things to be conquered.

"It's something that I got, not the way I am," Crooks told BBC Radio 5 Live. "My dad is proud to be deaf, my mum is proud to be deaf, but I'm the same way about epilepsy in a way.

"It's a dangerous condition and can have serious consequences, but it's part of me and part of who I am so I should embrace it and not live in fear of something happening."

Click here to read more on the story.

BBC Sounds

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Steve Crossman visited Boro's training base Rockliffe Park for an episode of the Football Daily podcast.

Crossman spoke to Michael Carrick ahead of Middlesbrough's back-to-back FA Cup and League Cup games.

You can listen to 'Boro: Beyond the pitch' by clicking here.

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Will Faulks, Chelsea News, external

Chelsea's injury report released on Monday listed 10 players as hurt, rehabilitating or recovering from surgery. That's 40% of their 25-man Premier League squad.

Just weeks after it seemed like the worst of the endless injury crisis was over, it's flared up and is now worse than ever, at least in terms of the raw number of absences.

Players pick up injuries, then seem to spend longer on the cusp of a return than they did actually hurt. Even the extremely cautious approach that's been taken with many of the more injury-prone stars seems to have done little to solve their issues.

Six months of waiting for Christopher Nkunku was rewarded with three substitute appearances, a single start - and then a hip injury.

Romeo Lavia's long-awaited return was even more short-lived. Reece James and Ben Chilwell were treated more carefully than ever before, and still have both missed most of the season.

Some players are overplayed because their team-mates aren't available; others are rushed back early to fill gaps. It is a self-perpetuating disaster that shows no signs of ending.

Without question, there is still a huge amount left to be desired in terms of the play Mauricio Pochettino's team produce, and the injuries do not excuse the players who actually line up every week for their often tepid and timid performances.

However, there is no escaping the fact that the entire season to this point has seen the coach and his squad battling against an immensely powerful headwind.

• Click here for all the latest Chelsea news

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BBC World Service's John Bennett analyses the teams at the top and bottom of the Premier League who will be affected most by having players at the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, which both start in the next few days

Chelsea

Chelsea are without leading scorer Nicolas Jackson who is preparing to play for Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

In addition, France forward Christopher Nkunku has suffered another setback, with an injured hip ruling him out of tonight's tie.

Nkunku has made just four appearances since joining in the summer for £52m.

"I hope it is not a long period but at the moment he is not training and he is doing recovery - but it's not a big issue," said Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino on Monday.

Middlesbrough narrowly lost 1-0 to Aston Villa, who are second in the Premier League, in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday and Pochettino is aware of the threat facing his side.

"Watching the game [of Middlesbrough] against Aston Villa, they lose, but could win the game. A good team with good ideas," added the Argentine.

"They have good players, a good coach and it will be tough with atmosphere and no VAR."

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After a slow start to the season Mauricio Pochettino will be eyeing this competition to save the campaign.

It could have ended in disaster for Pochettino as AFC Wimbledon went ahead in their opening game of this season's competition in the second round.

A last-minute comeback in the quarter-final against Newcastle helped Chelsea progress into the semi-final. A 90th-minute goal from Mykhailo Mudryk pushed the game to extra time then followed by penalties.

Djordje Petrovic stepped up to the job and provided a winning save to book their spot in the semi-final.

Second round: Chelsea 2-1 AFC Wimbledon.

Third round: Chelsea 1-0 Brighton.

Last 16: Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn Rovers.

Quarter-finals: Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle (4-2 on penalties).

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Remarkably Middlesbrough will be playing at home for the first time in this competition tonight and it will also be their first match against a Premier League side.

An 82nd-minute Emmanuel Latte Lath penalty helped the Championship side scrape past League One's Exeter City in the last 16, before a comfortable 3-0 win at Port Vale, another third-tier side, in the quarter-finals.

First round: Huddersfield 2-3 Middlesbrough.

Second round: Bolton 1-3 Middlesbrough.

Third round: Bradford City 0-2 Middlesbrough.

Last 16: Exeter City 2-3 Middlesbrough.

Quarter-finals: Port Vale 0-3 Middlesbrough.

Pat Nevin
Former Scotland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

Eventually Chelsea need to start winning something, they are very close to it now.

This season they are going to struggle to get European football it does not help with the way Chelsea have been spending. If they get a trophy the ownership will think there is the first step.

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BBC Radio 5 Live

As well as live text commentary of the game tonight we also have radio commentary from the Riverside Stadium.

Either head to the top of this page or tune into BBC Radio 5 Live to listen live with all the build-up with Steve Crossman and the team.

Image source, BBC Sport

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick makes four changes to the side that was beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round at the weekend.

Defender Matthew Clarke and striker Josh Coburn drop to the bench, while Morgan Rogers doesn't feature at all. Sam Greenwood is ineligible having played for Leeds earlier in the competition.

Dael Fry, Emmanuel Latte Lath, Jonny Howson and Matt Crooks come in.

Middlesbrough XI: Glover, Van Der Berg, Fry, Engel, Bangura, Barlaser, Howson, Crooks, I Jones, Hackney, Latte Lath.

Subs: J Jones, Clarke, Gilbert, Coburn, O'Brien, Kavanagh, McCabe, Bridge, Bilongo.

Image source, BBC Sport

Chelsea make three changes to the side that progressed to the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-0 win over Preston.

Nathan Gilchrist, Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja all drop to the bench and Thiago Silva, Conor Gallagher and Noni Madueke come in.

Chelsea XI: Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Caicedo, Gallagher, Fernandez, Sterling, Madueke, Palmer.

Subs: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Gilchrist, Williams, Golding, Mudryk, Washington, Broja.

As always get in touch with us about all of tonight's football. Also Chelsea fans, let us know your thoughts on Timo Werner moving to Tottenham on loan until the end of the season.

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Transfer news that will be of interest to Chelsea fans. But it's not a new signing, just a former player coming back to the Premier League.

Ex-Blues striker Timo Werner has moved on loan to Tottenham on loan from RB Leipzig, Spurs have just announced.

Werner joined Chelsea in July 2020 and made 89 appearances for the club, scoring 23 times.

He helped them beat Manchester City 1-0 to win the Champions League final in 2021 and also won the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge before moving to RB Leipzig in August 2022.

Chelsea

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, speaking to Sky Sports: "It is a semi-final and a very important game, credit to Middlesbrough for getting this far.

"We cannot underestimate them I am sure the boys are ready and prepared. The most important thing is to match their intensity, especially at the start, then our quality should shine through.

"We're aiming for the win and if we get that it would be perfect.

"We're a young team and have already made strides [this season]. Today is the biggest game of the season and we want to give ourselves a good advantage going into the second leg."

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Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough's Isaiah Jones, speaking to Sky Sports before the game: "It's massively an important game for us and it is a big game in the club's history - we are two games from a final at Wembley. Hopefully we give a good account of ourselves."

On the 1-0 FA Cup loss to Aston Villa on Saturday: "Against Aston Villa we showed we can defend as a team and cause some damage, but hopefully today we hold a clean sheet to take that into the second leg."

On Chelsea: "Every team has weaknesses and hopefully we can score a couple of goals and give the fans a night to enjoy."

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Chelsea have won the League Cup five times in their history - 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007 and 2015 when then beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final at Wembley.

Since then they have lost in the final in 2019 (4-3 on penalties against Manchester City after it had been goalless) and 2022 (against Liverpool).

That also went to a shootout and it was an epic one with Jurgen Klopp's side winning 11-10. Reds goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher scored for Liverpool before Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had been brought on specifically for penalties, then fired wildly over the crossbar.

Middlesbrough have won the competition once - in 2004 when managed by Steve McClaren and they gained a 2-1 win over Bolton at what is now called the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

They also lost in the final in both 1997 (to Leicester 1-0 in a replay) and 1998 (2-0 to Chelsea). Since winning it 20 years ago, this is the furthest they have got and in three of the past four seasons before this one they had gone out in the first round.