Chelsea sink Boro to set up United quarter-final

Holders Chelsea ground out a 2-0 win at second-tier Middlesbrough on Wednesday to set up an FA Cup quarter-final glamour tie at Manchester United.

 

Second-half goals from Ramires and Victor Moses secured victory at the Riverside Stadium as Chelsea bounced back from Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Manchester City, which had seen them slip to fourth place in the Premier League.

 

Victory in the fifth-round tie means Chelsea remain on course for what would be a fifth FA Cup title in seven seasons.

 

Interim manager Rafael Benitez has complained about fixture congestion in recent weeks, but with his side also still in contention in the Europa League, the European champions look set for a busy few weeks.

 

Chelsea made eight changes to the side beaten by City at the weekend, with Fernando Torres and skipper John Terry both returning to the starting line-up.

 

Oscar and Moses also came back into the team and they almost combined to break the deadlock in the 11th minute, but Oscar could not get enough purchase on his shot from his team-mate’s cut-back.