Chelsea stormed into the League Cup final with a 6-1 thrashing of second-tier Middlesbrough to easily overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. 

The Blues struck four times before half-time as Jonny Howson’s own goal, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer put Mauricio Pochettino’s men on the road to Wembley next month.

Palmer and Noni Madueke piled the pain on Middlesbrough in the closing stages on a night that could prove the turning point in Pochettino’s early reign in charge.

Chelsea now waits for a much tougher test against either Premier League leaders Liverpool or local rivals Fulham, who play later tonight.