Chelsea set to equal English football all-time record in EFL Cup semi-final (1 Viewer)

[RaymondSpous]

Chelsea has a chance to equal an all-time English football record when they face Middlesbrough in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final clash at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday.

The Blues have progressed through the competition by defeating AFC Wimbledon, Brighton & Hove Albion, Blackburn Rovers, and Newcastle United, securing a spot in the final four. In the quarter-finals, they overcame Newcastle in a thrilling 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, ultimately winning on penalties.

Despite facing challenges in the Premier League, Mauricio Pochettino's team remains in contention for success in both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. They recently dominated Preston North End with a 4-0 victory in the FA Cup on Saturday. If Chelsea manages to outperform Middlesbrough over the two legs this month (with the second leg scheduled for January 23), they will face either Liverpool or Fulham in the Wembley showpiece match on February 25.

Chelsea has encountered Middlesbrough only once in the past six years, securing a comfortable 2-0 win in the FA Cup quarter-final during the 2021-22 season. This victory marked their ninth consecutive win against Middlesbrough across all competitions, during which they impressively kept nine clean sheets against the Championship club.

A win on Tuesday without conceding a goal would make Chelsea the second English team ever to beat a single opponent 10 times in a row with 10 clean sheets. The only team to achieve such a feat previously was Liverpool, who defeated West Bromwich Albion 10 times without conceding between 1997 and 2010.

Middlesbrough has not beaten or scored against Chelsea since the second weekend of the 2006-07 Premier League season when they secured a 2-1 victory under Gareth Southgate. The two teams have a history of meeting in the latter stages of the EFL Cup, with Chelsea winning 2-0 in extra time in the final of the 1997-98 edition.

While Middlesbrough last competed in an EFL Cup semi-final in the 2003-04 campaign, Chelsea has a strong track record in recent semi-final ties, advancing from three of their last four. Additionally, Chelsea has a remarkable 15-game winning streak against lower-league sides in the EFL Cup, scoring 15 goals in the process.

However, Pochettino faces a new injury concern ahead of Tuesday's first leg, with Christopher Nkunku in doubt due to a hip issue. Nicolas Jackson is already unavailable as he represents Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, potentially paving the way for Armando Broja to lead the attack again.