Chelsea are three wins away from a first trophy since 2021, and whilst it has been a poor season for Mauricio Pochettino’s side they can find some solace in their Carabao Cup campaign.
A routine 2-0 win for Chelsea against Sheffield United was enough for Pochettino’s side to reclaim a place in the top half of the Premier League. Goals from Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson saw off bottom side Sheffield United, but did little to improve the mood around Stamford Bridge in another season of disjointed performances and inconsistent results.
However this season, the Carabao Cup has offered some respite from the high stakes pressure of the Premier League. Chelsea have had three home cup games against AFC Wimbledon, Brighton and Blackburn which have seen them qualify for a quarter-final, just two games away from a final at Wembley.
Chelsea are home again, this time to Newcastle. Eddie Howe’s side have had a mixed week, with the disappointment of their exit from the Champions League and a 3-0 win against ten-man Fulham in the Premier League. They, like Brighton did in earlier in the competition could cause Chelsea one or two problems, as a place in a two legged semi-final is up for grabs.
The remaining eight teams in this season’s Carabao Cup may have some Chelsea fans licking their lips at the prospect of potential success, and even the trophy. Port Vale, Middlesbrough, Everton, Fulham, West Ham and Liverpool are the other six sides still in the competition, and a minimum of three Premier Leagues sides will be eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Of course, one of the Premier League sides to crash out could be Chelsea, if they are unsuccessful against Newcastle. The prospect of penalties is very real too, with spot-kicks the deciding factor if the game is level after 90 minutes.
Newcastle recently gave Chelsea a footballing lesson in the Premier League, thrashing Pochettino’s side 4-1 at St. James’ Park in a game where captain Reece James was sent off. James will be out for this upcoming tie, and for the foreseeable future after he picked up another injury against Everton. In more positive news, Christopher Nkunku featured on the Chelsea bench in their win against Sheffield United, and could make his first competitive appearance in a blue shirt.
If Chelsea can beat Newcastle and avoid Liverpool in the semi-final, they will feel like they have an excellent chance of reaching the final in February. The Carabao Cup could be the spark that lights up a pretty ordinary campaign for Chelsea. With that, a Carabao Cup win would see Chelsea qualify for the Europa League, and put Chelsea back on the European map after a season away.
For now, they need to focus on the task at hand, beating Newcastle. Howe’s side have a number of first team players out injured in recent weeks, with further concerns for Fabian Schar and Joelinton. The pair were forced off with injury in their last game. Newcastle are down to the bare bones when in comes to naming a match-day squad.
A makeshift team may be the only option for Howe, which Chelsea could take advantage of. Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson and Mykhailo Mudryk were the attacking options in their win last time out, and all four will be keen to keep Chelsea firing, for a place in the final four. A win would lift morale, and take Mauricio Pochettino one step closer to a first trophy in England. Can the Carabao Cup be the diamond in the rough this season for Chelsea?
