Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick was expecting his side to put up a strong performance against Chelsea, especially having won the first leg 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

It wasn’t to be for Boro, as Chelsea showed no mercy, beating them 4-0 at half-time and 6-1 at full-time.

Speaking after the game, Carrick admitted that his team lost to a superior side.

“We’re hugely disappointed,” Carrick said after Boro’s defeat at Stamford Bridge.

“The game unravelled quite quickly, brutal in a way, really, it was quite a ruthless game for us, with six shots on target there or thereabouts and six goals, it’s pretty brutal.

“I feel massively for the players after their effort and attitude on the night.

“In the end, we got punished, couple of mistakes and quite quickly they punish you for that. So we’re disappointed, of course, but I’m massively proud of how they stuck at it.

“Second half, coming out in those circumstances is not easy but no one wavered, we stuck together, and we showed our spirit. I was really proud of them for that.”