Chelsea reached the League Cup final with a 6-1 thrashing of Middlesbrough in their semi-final second leg on Tuesday, providing coach Mauricio Pochettino a measure of relief after a poor first half to the season.

The big-spending Londoners had squandered a hatful of chances in the first leg away two weeks ago which Middlesbrough won 1-0.

But Tuesday's game underlined the gulf in quality between the English Premier League side and their second-tier visitors with the tie finishing 6-2 on aggregate.

Middlesbrough, missing key players through injury, could not repeat their defensive heroics of the first leg and, after conceding an own-goal through captain Jonny Howson in the 15th minute, were already 4-0 down by half-time.

Cole Palmer put away two for Chelsea, in the 42nd and 77th minutes, as the Blues ran rings round their opponents with a sharp, flowing, passing game.

"I missed three sitters in the first game so it was always in the back of my mind coming into this game," Palmer told Sky Sports.

Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Noni Madueke also got on the scoresheet.