Enzo Fernandez and Thiago Silva drop Chelsea team news hint as Mauricio Pochettino sends warning

Enzo Fernandez and Thiago Silva have dropped an early team news hint ahead of Chelsea's clash against Middlesbrough. The Championship outfit will welcome Mauricio Pochettino's side to the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night for the first-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

The duo have posted pre-match graphic previews of the tie to their respective Instagram stories which, historically, suggests that they will be involved in some capacity. Fernandez made his return from the treatment room shortly before the New Year, with a brief cameo off the bench in the Blues' 3-2 win over Luton Town.

After a week or so on the training pitches at Cobham, the Argentina international was given his first start since mid-December when Chelsea welcomed Preston North End to Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup Third Round. Fernandez marked his return with a goal and he'll be looking to continue his vein of form against Michael Carrick's side.

Ahead of what could be a tough clash for Chelsea in North Yorkshire, Pochettino revealed that he was disappointed with how his players started the fixture at the weekend, urging them to improve on Tuesday night. The Blues boss said: «We need to approach the game in a different way.

»We need to match their desire and energy. It is a different game as it is 180 minutes. Of course, it's about to have a different approach. I was disappointed, the players were disappointed at half time.

«Today, we reviewed what we need to improve but not much time to work as our priority is to recover our physical condition to be fresh tomorrow. It is going to be tough. Watching the game against Aston Villa, they lose, but could win the game. It's a good team with good ideas.»

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