Middlesbrough boss Carrick says his players can’t wait to prove they belong on big stage

MICHAEL CARRICK wants Middlesbrough to “create a fairytale” as they bid for their first domestic cup final in 20 years.

The Teessiders travel to Chelsea with a 1-0 lead from the first leg of their semi-final and Carrick is convinced his players are proving they belong on a big stage.

And, as if to underline that view, Premier League highflyers Aston Villa have tabled two bids for Boro striker Morgan Rogers.

Boro won the League Cup, their only trophy, under Steve Mcclaren in 2004, and will book a Wembley date if they can avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge tonight.

It would be further confirmation of Carrick’s promise as a coach but he prefers to see the clash as a chance for his players to show they can stand up to top-flight opposition.

Carrick said: “In any profession you want to push yourself and see what the best looks like. For some of the boys it is the first time they have faced that level of player or team so it’s for them now to find out, ‘Can I cope? How good are they when you come up against them?’ The boys have coped with that fantastically well and felt like they belong.

“Every game is different so just because we have had two good games against Villa (in the FA Cup) and Chelsea it doesn’t mean that we are there. But we take a lot of strength from how we performed.”

Carrick rejects the notion of tonight’s second leg being a defining game in his fledgling managerial career.

“Hopefully there is more to come after this,” he said.

But he added: “I can play down the edge and the buzz of this but part of football is creating hopes and dreams and fairytales. I was the same when I was purely a supporter. That is what it should be.

“It is very different when you are in it. You have to be concentrated and a bit more business-like. But that doesn’t take away the buzz and excitement and the passion to do well.

“The supporters should be dreaming and making the most of it and wanting to play the very best because that is the beauty of football.” Striker Rogers, best mates with Chelsea playmaker

Cole Palmer, was suspended for the first leg on Teesside but has four goals and two assists in five games in this competition.

Asked about Villa’s interest in Rogers, Carrick said: “We’re not building something just to be an extended academy.”

Jonny Howson could return after a knock in training but Isaiah Jones is a doubt.

Carrick (celebrating the first-leg victory, left) added: “It’s a big night, we’re right in the game so there’s a lot of excitement and it’s a fitting way for us to try to repay the fans for all the time and money they’ve spent over this competition. We’ll be doing everything we can to make it last a bit longer.”

A Hayden Hackney goal in the first half gave Boro their first-leg victory a fortnight ago but bookies don’t give them much hope of making progress.

Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea are red-hot favourites at 1-5 to win tonight and Middlesbrough are rank outsiders at 14-1 to win the League Cup.

Liverpool are 1-2 favourites, followed by Chelsea at 9-4 and Fulham at 12-1.