Middlesbrough vs Chelsea live updates: Carabao Cup semi-final ...

There was never any danger of Mauricio Pochettino failing to take Preston North End seriously, though it took 45 minutes of sleepwalking for his Chelsea players to get the message.

“Our attitude wasn’t right and the way we approached the game,” Pochettino said when asked about his half-time address on Saturday.

“We cannot put excuses about tactics or different things, that is not to tell the truth. We were talking about (how) we didn’t match their energy and desire to play.

“That is why we were so sloppy and why we didn’t control the game in the way we wanted. I was disappointed and the players were disappointed, then when we increased in the way we wanted to play, we started to control, to create chances and score goals and win the game.”

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January is cup month at Chelsea and Pochettino is likely to stick to his core players

Mauricio Pochettino says he has been reassured by the Chelsea hierarchy that he does not have to sell players this month to make new signings in the January window.

Chelsea have spent over £1billion on players over the past three transfer windows and despite raising a huge sum in sales (£295m last summer alone), the club have to be wary of adhering to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

But Pochettino, who revealed he has spoken to the club’s owners and co-sporting directors about their transfer business on Sunday and Monday, insists he is not under pressure to raise some funds before buying anyone else.

He said: "No, it’s not like this. It’s not what they tell to me, that it is necessary we have to sell to buy some players."

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Chelsea don’t have to sell to buy in January transfer window – Mauricio Pochettino

Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at home on Sunday by Liverpool in the FA Cup. That was despite creating a number of good chances and having relative ‘control’ of the game throughout...

Something Gunners' fans haven’t seen since… well, the West Ham game last week! So, how worrying is this pattern for Arteta? And what’s their way out - Is it through coaching? Or in the January transfer window?

Host Adam Leventhal is joined by former Arsenal midfielder Adrian Clarke and The Athletic's James McNicholas to discuss.

Click here to listen in!

Mauricio Pochettino has described Armando Broja as one of the most promising young strikers in Europe — but has urged the Chelsea forward to now “step up” and “push himself”.

Broja scored the opening goal in Chelsea’s 4-0 FA Cup third-round win over Preston after starting in place of Nicolas Jackson, who is away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Albanian striker returned to fitness in September after nine months sidelined with an ACL injury, but Pochettino has now challenged the 22-year-old to make good on his potential.

“It was really important for him,” Pochettino said of his goal.

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Armando Broja must ‘step up’ at Chelsea, says Mauricio Pochettino

Midfielders Hayden Hackney and Matt Crooks, plus forward Emmanuel Latte Lath, all returned to training last week after injury, with Hackney and Latte Lath featuring against Villa. All three could start.

But Michael Carrick could be without up to 12 players against Chelsea tonight.

Sam Greenwood and Finn Azaz are cup-tied, Morgan Rogers is suspended, with Australians Riley McGree and Sam Silvera and Senegalese goalkeeper Seny Dieng on international duty.

Anfernee Dijksteel, Tommy Smith, captain Darragh Lenihan, Paddy McNair, Lewis O'Brien and Marcus Forss are expected to be ruled out due to injury.

Gallagher is expected to start the first leg of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final at Middlesbrough tonight.

And Pochettino believes his presence in the squad helps the other players understand the importance of the competition and can be a big help for a cup game against Championship opposition.

He added: “Of course, that is true, it’s a good point. I think he is doing a fantastic job, he is working well, he is helping the club, us and team-mates a lot. We are happy with his performances. He has an advantage because he knows the club, he knows the demands of the Premier League.

“The English players who came through the academy system, they know really well what it means to play this type of game. We are trying to translate the idea, not only to the players who arrived from outside.”

Mauricio Pochettino says he has spoken to Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher about his future at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s head coach admitted last week that he could not guarantee the 23-year-old would still be at the club after the January window has closed.

Gallagher has just 18 months left on his current deal and talks over an extension have not progressed. Chelsea are prepared to listen to offers, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United among the clubs interested. But the asking price of £40million ($51m) plus may prove tough for anyone to afford.

Despite all the uncertainty, Gallagher continues to be a regular starter for Chelsea under Pochettino this season.

“If you want to ask me if I was talking with Conor about this situation, yes,” Pochettino said. “I think it's always important for us, the coaches, to have very clear and very direct, honest conversations with the players. It is healthy to have these types of relationships.”

Chelsea has suspended a season ticket holder who ran on the pitch to confront Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka during the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.

Following Mykhailo Mudryk’s late second-half equaliser during the 1-1 draw in normal time, a Chelsea supporter entered the pitch and celebrated in front of Dubravka, seemingly taunting and jostling him.

The Premier League club said they had suspended the individual and that they are “now supporting the police with the criminal investigation”.

A statement read: “Chelsea football club has a zero-tolerance approach to any supporters attempting to come onto the pitch at home and away matches.”

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Chelsea suspend season ticket holder for confronting Martin Dubravka in Carabao Cup quarter-final

Last week, we held our latest subscriber-exclusive Ask Ornstein session.

Once a week for an hour, The Athletic’s subscribers can ask me for my views on anything from the world of football. I have pulled together some of my favourite questions and my answers to them from the latest Q&A below. Thanks to all those who took part.

Want to ask me a question? Join us next Thursday.

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Kalvin Phillips’ future, Ivan Toney status and Chelsea vs FFP – Ask Ornstein

Mauricio Pochettino has waited longer than he would have liked for someone to prove his point.

As Chelsea have laboured in mid-table since the start of the season, the club’s head coach has argued how a fully fit squad is required to lift the standards at Stamford Bridge, let alone their position in the Premier League. This message has either been ignored or not very well received.

Nothing can excuse some of Chelsea’s poor displays and sympathy has certainly been in short supply for a club who have spent over £1billion ($1.27bn) on players in the last three transfer windows. But dealing with an extensive injury list has not helped Pochettino get the team playing the way he wants consistently.

An example of just what Pochettino has been talking about is Noni Madueke.

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Madueke has repaid Pochettino’s faith – he will have Sterling and Mudryk worried

Chelsea add that Benoit Badiashile, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are 'in full team training for reconditioning phase' and Nkunku is being assessed.

While Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Sanchez and Lesley Ugochukwu are continuing their respective rehab programmes.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed they will travel to the north-east with the same squad, with no one returning from injury but no one added to the injury list either.

That means no Christopher Nkunku. Pochettino said: 'It’s not related to his (previous) injury, it’s a different problem. It’s a small issue in his hip, it’s not his knee. Now we have to be careful with him as it is six months he was injured.

'He was involved in a few games but now we are being cautious, so he will not be involved (tonight) and we will see for Saturday. We are not sure when he will be back. We hope that it’s not a long period, but at the moment he’s not training, he’s doing recovery for his problem, but it’s not that big an issue.'

Discussing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, he added: 'We just saw him, he came for another scan. The doctors need to see the scan and make a decision if we progress in his evolution or keep him away from training a little bit more.

'He won’t need surgery, it is only about the pace of the evolution and how he can improve in going from doing treatment to starting on the pitch.'

Chelsea's transfer movement so far in the January window has been uncharacteristically quiet.

Only Andrey Santos has come in, returning from his unsuccessful loan at Nottingham Forest, while Alex Matos has left on loan to Huddersfield.

But Middlesbrough have already snapped someone up: attacking midfielder Finn Azaz from Aston Villa for £2.5million.

The 23-year-old, who has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract, had been on loan at Plymouth Argyle, where he impressed with seven goals and five assists.

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Middlesbrough sign Aston Villa midfielder Finn Azaz

Nope, no away goals used either.

If scores are level at the end of the second leg, at Stamford Bridge, the teams will move into extra-time and, if necessary, penalties.

The EFL has confirmed the controversial VAR will not be used in the League Cup semi-finals.

The governing body said in a statement: "Given the system is not installed at