Match Preview: Middlesbrough vs Chelsea

Location: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England

Kick-off: 27 February, 1945 GMT, 28 February, 0115 IST

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Championship promotion seekers Middlesbrough welcome European champions Chelsea to the Riverside Stadium in a delayed FA Cup Fifth Round match courtesy the Blues’ FIFA Club World Cup commitments.

With Middlesbrough currently performing inconsistently in the league and Chelsea failing to win their last two games, this tie could just have the potential to be an FA ‘Cupset’ that sends tongues wagging throughout the world.

Form

Middlesbrough: LDLWL

23/02/2013: Millwall FC (H): 1-2, NPower Championship

19/02/2013: Burnley FC (A): 0-0, NPower Championship

16/02/2013: Crystal Palace FC (A): 4-1, NPower Championship

12/02/2013: Leeds United FC (H): 1-0, NPower Championship

09/02/2013: Barnsley FC (H): 2-3, NPower Championship

Middlesbrough have only won one of their last five games, and what is worrying for Boro boss Tony Mowbray is that all of those results have come against opposition who are placed lower than the Riverside Stadium outfit on the Championship table.

A win against Chelsea could therefore spur them on up the table. Placed seventh in the table with just one point separating them from sixth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion and the last promotion play-off berth, Middlesbrough have plenty of the season before them to finish in the top six.

Boro met Chelsea in an FA Cup final in 1997 and in a League Cup final 10 months later, both at Wembley. The Blues won both finals 2-0.

In the Premier League, Chelsea had won five of the two sides’ last six meetings, with the hosts’ only win coming in 2006 when they beat the Blues 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

Chelsea: LDWWW

24/02/2013: Manchester City (A): 0-2, Barclays Premier League

21/02/2013: Sparta Prague (H):1-1, UEFA Europa League

17/02/2013: Brentford FC (H): 4-0, FA Cup Third Round

14/02/2013: Sparta Prague (A): 1-0, UEFA Europa League

09/02/2013: Wigan Athletic (H): 4-1, Barclays Premier League

The Chelsea faithful have not taken kindly to the temporary appointment of Rafael Benitez because of his tenure at Liverpool and the comments that were directed towards Chelsea when he was at Anfield.

That resentment has been transmitted onto the team in the form of low morale, with results at home being far from convincing, despite what is seen in the table above. Although Chelsea did beat Brentford in the FA Cup, the only reason they did so was because they were held to a 2-2 draw away from home.

A win against Middlesbrough would surely mollify the fans at least temporarily, given Chelsea’s good record against the hosts in all competitions.

Team News

Middlesbrough

The Teesiders have five key players injured ahead of their clash against Chelsea.

Striker Lukas Jutkiewicz has scored ten goals this season but picked up an ankle injury against Palace and will be assessed ahead of the Chelsea game, as will Jonathan Woodgate, who has a calf tear.

Stuart Parnaby also succumbed to a twinged hamstring against Palace, and is out for this game, while Justin Hoyte (hip) and Julio Arca (toe) are both out.

New loan signings Sammy Ameobi, who played for Newcastle in the FA Cup and Josh McEachran, who cannot face his parent club, are both out. Kieron Dyer also played for QPR in the competition.

Probable Starting XI: Steele; Hines, Williams, McManus, Friend; Leadbitter, Zemmama, Bailey, Halliday; Miller, McDonald

Chelsea

Rafael Benitez has a few injury problems ahead of this trip to the North of England, but they will not concern him much.

Gary Cahill is out with a virus, while Cesar Azpilicueta has a discomfort in his leg. John Terry is available after missing out against City.

Probable Starting XI: Turnbull; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Bertrand; Romeu, Lampard, Marin, Mata, Hazard; Torres

Key men

Middlesbrough: Merouane Zemmama

Moroccan international Zemmama is a versatile player who has learned to play in Britain from his time at Rangers in Scotland. With four goals – three in cup competitions – he has been described by Mowbray as technically skilled and blessed with good dribbling skills.

With his capability to deliver service and drift all across midfield, he will be key to Middlesbrough tonight.

Chelsea: Frank Lampard

Juan Mata may be preferred to 34-year-old Lamps in midfield, but nobody does rolling back the years with an awesome performance at Chelsea like Lampard does.

Denied a chance to score his 200th goal in Chelsea blue when Joe Hart saved his penalty over the weekend, Lampard will be looking to dominate the game early and put Chelsea in the next round. Getting number 200 will only be a footnote for him.

Prediction

With Chelsea fans looking for a trophy and Benitez using that as leverage to win over the fans, given the obvious talent the European Champions possess, an away win looks to be on the cards.

Middlesbrough 0-3 Chelsea