(Football news) In the quarterfinals, Michael Carrick’s team defeated Port Vale three times without answering, while the Blues defeated Newcastle United in a thrilling penalty shootout to get to the final four.

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick was comparatively positive during his post-match media duties, which was understandable given that his team had just watched Aston Villa, the underdog Premier League title contenders, go toe-to-toe with them before ultimately losing the FA Cup match on Saturday night.

Ensconced in the middle of the Championship rankings at the moment, Boro managed to hold out against the Lions, who are coached by former cup specialist Unai Emery, for 87 minutes. However, their downfall came from a speculative Matty Cash strike that caused Emmanuel Latte Lath to be seriously deflected.

Though there were undoubtedly some dejected looks at the Riverside as Cash’s effort dipped into the bottom corner, Middlesbrough could look back on the positives from that one-goal setback, even though it was their third loss in four games across all competitions.

However, the hosts have so far in the 2023–24 EFL Cup let their attacking strength speak for itself. They have defeated Port Vale, Exeter City, Bolton Wanderers, Bradford City, and Huddersfield Town, all away from home, to advance to the final four. In each of those wins, the hosts have scored at least two goals.

Also read: Manchester United will play Wigan Athletic in FA Cup