If it was a reminder of the way things used to be it was also possible to see this triumph as the start of Chelsea marching towards a brighter future. The first major final of the post-Abramovich era beckons and, for owners as derided as Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, there must be something satisfying about finally being given tangible evidence that their bold youth project is making progress.
This was a total mismatch, Middlesbrough’s 1-0 lead from the first leg shattered during a torrid first half, Chelsea cutting them to shreds with four unanswered goals. Cole Palmer, who has 11 goals since joining from Manchester City in the summer, was unstoppable. Raheem Sterling ran Boro ragged. Ben Chilwell was exceptional on his first start since injuring a hamstring in September.
