Italy’s all-time top goalscorer Gigi Riva has died aged 79.

Riva scored 35 goals in 42 appearances for Italy and was a member of the squad which won the 1968 European Championship and lost in the 1970 World Cup final to Brazil.

He was also a prolific goalscorer for Cagliari, leading the Sardinian club to their only Serie A title in 1970.

Cagliari said: “He was the greatest of them all. Without comparisons or possible comparisons. The best Italian striker in history. And one of the deadliest gunners who ever lived. His name was Gigi Riva, also known as Rombo di Tuono.

“A formidable footballer, an upright sportsman, a bearer of crystalline values and principles. A true legend, a timeless myth. An icon of Sardinia, his adopted land, to which he was bound by visceral love. He passed away today at the age of 79. A sad day for us and for all of world football.”

A minute’s applause was held at the start of the second half of the Italian Super Cup final between Inter Milan and Napoli in Saudi Arabia.

Current Cagliari boss Claudio Ranieri paid his own tribute.

He told the club website: “It’s the news I never wanted to hear. It caught me off guard, shocked, I’m speechless. Gigi’s passing leaves an unfillable void in all of us.”

Brighton failed to score at home for the first time in 23 matches as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Wolves at the Amex Stadium.

Albion dominated possession in a tetchy Premier League contest but lacked a cutting edge in attack.

Wanderers captain Maximilian Kilman hit the frame of his own goal early in the second half, while Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha and Mario Lemina went close for the counter-attacking visitors.

A largely forgettable encounter was at least memorable for Seagulls midfielder James Milner, whose 633rd Premier League appearance lifted him clear of Ryan Giggs on the competition’s all-time list, behind only record holder Gareth Barry.

Brighton climb to seventh, above Manchester United on goal difference, courtesy of the stalemate, while Wolves move level on points with 10th-placed Newcastle.

Albion won this fixture 6-0 last season – their biggest Premier League victory and Wolves’ heaviest loss.

Danny Welbeck was one of three players to score twice that day and he threatened to inflict to more misery on Wanderers during a bright beginning for the hosts.

After forcing a corner with a deflected shot off Matt Doherty, the former England forward climbed high to flick on Pervis Estupinan’s 11th-minute delivery, only for Facundo Buonanotte’s back-post diving header to be hacked off the line by Tommy Doyle.

Wolves were just about managing to contain the lively hosts and almost snatched a 22nd-minute lead.

Portugal forward Neto, making his first start since October in the absence of 10-goal top scorer Hwang Hee-chan, was afforded time and space on the edge of the Seagulls’ 18-yard box but his curling effort flew narrowly wide of the left post.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was left frustrated on the half-hour mark when Brighton midfielder Billy Gilmour escaped punishment after cynically halting Cunha’s off-the-ball run as Neto broke down the left.

Tempers then threatened to boil over on the touchline during a flashpoint sparked by a clash between Gilmour and Wolves defender Craig Dawson, which led to the visitors’ goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler being booked by referee Craig Pawson.

The fractious ending to a tight opening period persisted with Cunha receiving a yellow card for a challenge on Gilmour and then confronting the officials following the half-time whistle.

Brazil forward Cunha almost channelled his sense of injustice into the opening goal within seconds of the restart but his initial effort was repelled by Seagulls goalkeeper Jason Steele before he poked over the rebound.

Wolves skipper Kilman then diverted the ball on to the base of his own right post as he slid in to intercept Jack Hinshelwood’s cross before Neto was denied by Steele as the end-to-end action continued.

In-form Wolves were seeking to register four successive top-flight wins for the first time since January 1972 and looked the more likely to break the deadlock in the closing stages.

Neto flashed across goal before the onrushing Steele was fortunate to escape being rounded by Cunha and then kept out a powerful drive from Lemina.

Inter Milan beat Napoli to win the Italian Super Cup after both teams paid tribute to Italy’s all-time top scorer Gigi Riva.

Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in injury time as Inter wrapped up a third straight Super Cup success.

But the match, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between current Serie A champions Napoli and Coppa Italia holders Inter, was overshadowed by Riva’s death, aged 79.

A minute’s applause was held before the second half after the news filtered through during the first half.

Riva scored 35 goals in 42 appearances for Italy and was a member of the squad which won the 1968 European Championship and lost in the 1970 World Cup final to Brazil.

He was also a prolific goalscorer for Cagliari, leading the Sardinian club to their only Serie A title in 1970.

It appeared that no one was going to find a goal to settle the match, until Martinez finally broke the deadlock two minutes into added time.

Inter dominated the first half and created the first chance when a long Matteo Darmian throw-in found its way through to Federico Dimarco, whose volley was deflected inches wide.

Martinez then headed wide from Francesco Acerbi’s cross and Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired over 20 yards out.

Martinez had the ball in the net after 40 minutes when he tapped in Marcus Thuram’s cross but an offside flag curtailed any celebrations.

Napoli’s first real opening came six minutes into the second half when Stanislav Lobotka fed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The Georgian cut back inside and tried to curl the ball towards the far post but his effort was beaten away by Inter keeper Yann Sommer.

Napoli were reduced to 10 men on the hour after Giovanni Simeone was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Acerbi.

Inter set about trying to press home their numerical advantage but Thuram twice missed his kick in front of goal and Martinez volleyed over the crossbar.

Frustrated Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri was shown a yellow card before Mkhitaryan tried his luck again, only to send his shot too high.

The match looked destined for penalties until Alexis Sanchez fed Benjamin Pavard down the right.

Pavard pinged in a low cross which was swept home by Martinez to wrap up a super treble for Inter.

Tajikistan claimed a famous 2-1 win over Lebanon to progress to the last 16 of the Asian Cup on their tournament debut.

Lebanon took the lead early in the second half with a curling shot from Bassel Jradi, but they were reduced to 10 men when Kassem El-Zein saw red in the 54th minute.

Tajikistan had two goals ruled out for offside but finally scored with 10 minutes remaining to seal their progress from Group A.

Parvizdzhon Umarbaev restored parity, with Nuriddin Khamrokulov heading home a winning goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.

Coach Petar Segrt said: "Every day we stay here longer is fantastic. We have our first dream: To make the last 16.

"We have our second dream: we want to go to the second round. Now we dream again.

"This is football. Every one of us has a dream."

Asian Cup hosts Qatar, meanwhile, finished their group campaign in style on Monday with a spectacular volley from Hassan Al-Haydos for a 1-0 win over China, who are on the brink of elimination from the tournament.

The deadlock at the Khalifa International Stadium was broken midway through the second half with an unforgettable strike. Akram Afif's corner was immediately met outside the area by Al-Haydos, who confidently volleyed into the top corner. Both players had just been introduced as substitutes.

Qatar, who had already secured their spot in the knockout stage, topped Group A with nine points and advanced with Tajikistan, which beat last-place Lebanon 2-1 to take second with four points.

China finished with just two points and failed to score in any of their three games. They have never won the Asian Cup and must now wait for other results, but they have only the faintest of chances of squeezing into the next round as one of the four best-performing of the third-placed teams in the six groups.

Qatar may have lost all three games on home soil at the 2022 World Cup but has been perfect in the Asian Cup, advancing to the round of 16 by winning all three games without conceding a goal.

Mohamed Salah’s muscle injury is “more serious than first thought” and could keep the Liverpool forward out of action for nearly a month, according to his agent.

On Sunday, Liverpool announced the 31-year-old would be returning from the Ivory Coast, where he was representing Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, to undergo treatment with the aim of returning to the Pharaohs if they progressed to the knockout stages of the competition.

That optimistic plan, at least according to Ramy Abbas Issa, now looks to have suffered a significant setback.

Posting to his personal account on X (formerly Twitter), the agent wrote: “Mohamed’s injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not two games.

“His best chance at participating in the current AFCON is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the UK and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit.”

The PA news agency has contacted Liverpool for comment.

An Egyptian FA statement, posted on Liverpool’s official website on Sunday evening, read: “After additional examinations were conducted on Mohamed Salah during the last hours, and after communication between the national team’s medical staff and his counterpart at Liverpool FC, it was decided that the player will return to England after the Cape Verde match tomorrow to complete his treatment, with the hope that he will join the national team in the semi-final of the AFCON if we qualify.”

Premier League leaders Liverpool initially struggled to create in the absence of their talisman during Sunday’s game at Bournemouth, but moved five points clear at the top thanks to a crushing 4-0 win earned by second-half doubles from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.

Speaking after the victory at the Vitality Stadium, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said it “makes sense” for Salah to fly back to Merseyside from the tournament.

“That’s the plan,” the German said before the news was confirmed. “If that’s already decided 100 per cent, I don’t know. But that’s the plan.

“However long he’s out, probably everybody sees it like this, it makes sense that he’s doing the rehab with us or with our people. If that’s written in stone already, I don’t know.

“I spoke with him directly after, the night when it happened. Since then he’s in contact with our doctor. I think he will be back.”

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast are on the brink of a humiliating exit from their own tournament after a shock 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea.

Two more goals from Emilio Nsue, the hat-trick hero from the win against Guinea-Bissau, and strikes from Pablo Ganet and substitute Jannick Buyla left the Elephants with only a slim chance of qualifying after finishing third in Group A.

Three points means they are unlikely to be one of the four third-placed teams to get through, although agonisingly they might not know their fate until Wednesday evening when the group stage is completed.

Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, were confirmed as surprise group winners ahead of Nigeria in second.

Ivory Coast had two goals disallowed for offside and snatched at a host of presentable chances, and they were made to pay.

They could have had a penalty when Nicolas Pepe burst into the area after a long ball over the top fell at his feet and was clearly fouled by Saul Coco.

Pepe opted to stay on his feet, however, but he was unable to round Equatorial Guinea keeper Jesus Owono and the opportunity went begging.

And Ivory Coast were stunned three minutes before half-time when Akapo surged past four non-existent tackles into the area and squared the ball for Nsue.

The former Birmingham and Middlesbrough full-back, now 34 and captaining his country, swept the ball home first time.

The host nation thought they had hit back immediately when Ibrahim Sangare bundled the ball into the net from Pepe’s cross but VAR confirmed the Nottingham Forest midfielder was offside.

Sangare should have equalised moments into the second half only to blaze wastefully over at the far post and Owono somehow denied Christian Kouame from point-blank range.

In the 67th minute Jean-Philippe Krasso took Seko Fofana’s pass in his stride and curled the ball past Owono, but once again VAR stepped in where an offside flag had not and the goal was chalked off.

Instead, six minutes later Ganet silenced the Alassane Ouattara Stadium with a curling free-kick which flew into the top corner.

The hosts’ fate was all but sealed when, in the 75th minute, Jose Machin led a counter-attack and teed up Nsue for a simple finish.

And arguably the biggest upset in AFCON history was complete two minutes from time when Buyla lashed home the fourth.

Opa Sangante’s own goal earned Nigeria a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau as they sealed their spot in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16.

The Super Eagles went ahead after 36 minutes when Sangante put through his own net but were unable to capitalise on a series of good chances to extend their lead, with Victor Osimhen going close multiple times.

With Equatorial Guinea thumping Ivory Coast in the other game in the group, Nigeria finished second in Group A to set up a meeting with the runners-up in Group C on Saturday.

The loss capped off a miserable campaign for already-eliminated Guinea-Bissau, who threatened Nigeria in the final stages but finished with three defeats.

Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali made the first save of the game from Nito Gomes’ ambitious long-range effort, but the Super Eagles grew into the game, Joe Aribo’s powerful strike taking a deflection and giving Jonas Mendes a routine stop.

Nigeria went in front when Moses Simon whipped in a dangerous cross intended for Osimhen and Sangante smashed the ball into the roof of his own net.

They had a great chance to double the lead just before half-time as an unmarked Osimhen headed wide and threatened again two minutes into the second half when Mendes smothered Simon’s shot.

An action-packed start saw Osimhen’s headed effort loop wide and Dalcio had his low strike saved at the other end before Osimhen had an effort ruled out for offside.

Guinea-Bissau threatened in the final 10 minutes when Fali Cande’s free-kick took an awkward bounce, but Nwabali managed to push it wide before Gomes headed wide from the resulting corner.

The late pressure almost paid off as a ferocious strike from Franculino Dju was ruled out for offside and Nigeria managed to see the game out.

Udinese have banned for life a supporter found to have used discriminatory behaviour towards AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

The Serie A club, which are working to track down further offenders, said the sanction against the individual identified by staff and police using security cameras at the Bluenergy Stadium would take immediate effect.

An investigation was launched after France international Maignan left the pitch during the first half of Saturday’s 3-2 win in Udine, having apparently indicated to referee Fabio Maresca that he had heard racist abuse from the crowd.

A statement from Udinese said: “In a joint effort with the local police authorities and utilising the Bluenergy Stadium security cameras, Udinese Calcio has identified the first individual responsible for discriminatory behaviour towards AC Milan player Mike Maignan.

“This person will face a lifetime ban from attending any Udinese Calcio matches. This ban is effective immediately.

“We believe that such strong measures are necessary to send a clear message that racism has no place in football or society. Udinese Calcio stands firmly against any form of discrimination and we are determined to create an inclusive and respectful environment within our football community.

“We thank the authorities for their cooperation and together we will continue to work tirelessly in order to identify and punish other individuals who were involved in this incident and that tarnish the sporting ethics of the club, the region, the city of Udine and a fan base that has always been a model of integration and respect.

“We want to ensure that our stadium remains a space where everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, background, culture, and language is able to enjoy the beautiful game without fear of discrimination.

“Udinese Calcio calls on all football stakeholders to unite in the fight against racism and discrimination, fostering an environment that celebrates diversity and promotes inclusion.”

Speaking after the game, which restarted after a delay of around 10 minutes, Maignan told Milan TV: “I heard them making monkey noises. After it happened a second time, I went to the dugout to inform them of what had happened behind the goal.

“This shouldn’t exist in the world of football, but unfortunately for many years this is a recurrence. We all have to react, we must do something because you can’t play like this.”

The incident in Italy came on the same day that Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer reported he had been abused by Sheffield Wednesday supporters in his team’s Championship fixture at Hillsborough, prompting claims from Professional Footballers’ Association chair Omar Beckles that players do not believe the football authorities have put in place strong enough deterrents to combat racism.

Beckles said: “Our members want to see real, consistent and significant consequences for racist abuse, both for the individuals who are responsible and for clubs who fail to get a grip of the issue within their stadiums.

“The reality is that players don’t believe this is happening. The responsibility for what happens next lies with the authorities.”

Beckles said the PFA had been working closely with referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to give insights from a player’s perspective on protocols for dealing with racist incidents.

He added: “We’ve encouraged players, when they are aware of racial abuse, to take control of the situation by delaying restarts, free-kicks, and throw-ins.

“A stoppage in play – however long it takes – forces a response. It creates a window to alert match officials and gives the best chance of identifying those responsible.

“However, without action, the protocols are useless.”

Speaking specifically about Palmer’s experience, Beckles said: “Kasey Palmer deserves to be commended for his exemplary behaviour and measured response in an extremely challenging situation.

“Those responsible for this incident were recorded and they must be identified. They should face criminal charges and a ban from football.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested clubs whose fans are guilty of such abuse be subject to automatic forfeits.

Rigobert Song is unconcerned about speculation over his position as Cameroon boss heading into their crucial Africa Cup of Nations clash against the Gambia.

The five-time champions started their campaign with an underwhelming draw against Guinea before losing to Senegal and almost certainly need to beat the Gambia to have a chance of progressing from Group C.

Victory at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Tuesday would leave them poised to be one of the top four third-placed sides, which would go a long way to taking some pressure off Song.

“I’ve experienced pressure since I was very young, I’ve known it, pressure, as a player,” Song, the ex-Liverpool and West Ham defender who is Cameroon’s most capped player ever, told a press conference.

“It’s part of the game; you win, you’re strong but you lose, you’re bad. I’m not getting into this game.

“I don’t panic, I don’t stress. I listen, I understand the criticism, I know what I have to do, I stay calm. My players know me, I simply tell them: ‘Do your job’. I trust my players, we’ll get there.”

Cameroon will once again be without captain and star striker Vincent Aboubakar, who suffered a thigh injury on the eve of the tournament and has not regained full fitness.

“I don’t think Abou will be ready to play,” Song added. “We are counting on him for after these three matches.”

The Gambia sit bottom of the group after back-to-back defeats but boss Tom Saintfiet remains upbeat.

“We’re still alive, the situation just got more complicated,” Saintfiet said after his side’s loss to Guinea on Friday. “We can still qualify with three points in our next game.”

Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge ensured the title-holders re-established their lead at the top of the WSL table and moved three points clear of both Arsenal and Manchester City.

United, meanwhile, are struggling to recreate the magic that saw them finish runners-up in 2022-23 and just two points below the Blues, securing them a first-ever Champions League berth.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the key questions surrounding the WSL title race with the second half of the season now under way.

How will Chelsea cope with big injuries?

While Emma Hayes enjoys the luxury of enviable squad depth, the Chelsea boss nevertheless faces the challenge of coping without several major players, most notably captain Millie Bright, whose timeline for return remains uncertain, and striker Sam Kerr, set to miss the remainder of the campaign after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

Lauren James’ hat-trick against her former side on Sunday more than validated her boss’ theory that the 22-year-old England international could step up her game in Kerr’s absence.

Hayes said January signing Nathalie Bjorn, whose lovely long ball over the top set up James’ second goal, provided “a bit of calm, composed leadership in Millie’s absence” from the back line.

Who else could challenge, and what are their chances?

Both Manchester City and Arsenal have 25 points apiece, three fewer than Chelsea. City, who are second on goal difference, will be particularly keen not just to challenge for the title but also remain in the top three to regain their Champions League place after finishing fourth last season.

City are the only WSL side who have not dropped points in their last five league contests, but will likely need a perfect or near-perfect second half if they are to have any chance of unseating the Blues, who lost just two matches in both of their most recent title-winning campaigns.

Arsenal are, as ever, also in contention and have already reinforced their ranks with the arrival of American defender Emily Fox this month.

Who could be a key player in all of this?

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw has hit a trio of hat-tricks in three of Manchester City’s last four league matches and is the WSL’s leading scorer with 12 across 10 appearances, the only woman having more success this season in front of the opposition’s net than James, whose hat-trick raised her own tally to 10.

Should the Jamaican striker stay healthy, Shaw could keep herself on course for the Golden Boot and potentially even help guide her side to a first WSL trophy since 2016.

What’s going on at United – and will Marc Skinner stay?

The gap between fourth-placed United and the league-leading Blues grew to 10 points with Sunday’s defeat at Stamford Bridge, where chants of “Skinner out” were heard from the away end.

Skinner said his club “need to continue to invest in the structure to continue to get ourselves to around where Chelsea are with that depth and quality” and was optimistic that new club shareholders Ineos will be supportive of the women’s side.

United last March triggered an extension on the 40-year-old’s contract that in theory would keep him in situ at least until the end of this season and on Sunday he told Sky Sports: “If you look at how you perform with the resources we have, I am absolutely secure in what I do and how I do it.”

When do the key match-ups take place?

Manchester City travel to Chelsea on February 16, while Arsenal take on Manchester United on February 17.

The Blues face the Gunners on March 17, with a Manchester derby scheduled for the following Sunday.

City host Arsenal on May 5, before Manchester United welcome Chelsea on May 18, the final day of the campaign.

Michael Carrick has urged Middlesbrough supporters to dream of Carabao Cup glory even if he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

Head coach Carrick, 42, will send his Sky Bet Championship side into semi-final, second-leg battle with Premier League Chelsea on Tuesday evening knowing they could be just 90 minutes away from Wembley and in with a chance of repeating their 2004 triumph.

Carrick, who enjoyed a glittering playing career during which he won 12 major trophies with Manchester United, insists he and his players must treat the occasion like any other match, but can understand the excitement of the club’s supporters.

He said: “Part of football is creating hopes and dreams and the passion and excitement, the dream, the fairy tale. I was exactly 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. It is just slightly different.

“But certainly 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.”

Boro’s Carling Cup success 20 years ago was their first and last major honour, but they head into the game at Chelsea holding a narrow, but deserved, 1-0 lead courtesy of Hayden Hackney’s strike at the Riverside Stadium.

Carrick is well aware of the degree of difficulty they will face against Mauricio Pochettino’s misfiring but talented team and knows his own side remains at the development stage, despite encouraging performances against the Blues and FA Cup opponents Aston Villa in recent weeks.

He said: “We know what it would mean to get through and have some success – I’m not playing that down at all – but I don’t know what will happen going into this game where it could swing both ways.

“Hopefully there is more to come after this and we can also achieve success in different ways. It’s great, it’s a fantastic experience and to sample it and have that sense of opportunity more than anything and seeing how we all deal with it.”

Carrick, who has fitness doubts over wing-back Isaiah Jones and midfielder Jonny Howson but is expected to include Villa target Morgan Rogers in his squad, is a veteran of the fierce rivalry between his former club United and Chelsea and has both medals and scars to show for it.

Asked about his memories, he said: “Some good, some not so good. The FA Cup stands out – I lost the FA Cup to them – managed to beat them in the Champions League final. The league has gone both ways, so there have been some big ones.

“I’ve had some good nights at Stamford Bridge, had some setbacks, so a bit of mixed feelings, really.”

Algeria head coach Djamel Belmadi has backed under-fire captain Riyad Mahrez to rediscover his best form at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mahrez, who signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli for £30million last summer after five years at Manchester City, has been heavily criticised for his below-par displays in Algeria’s first two group matches.

The Desert Foxes drew 2-2 with Burkina Faso on Saturday after being held 1-1 by Angola in their opening Group D game and must beat Mauritania by two clear goals on Tuesday to guarantee a place in the knockout stage.

Belmadi told a press conference: “I don’t want people to forget what Mahrez can do.

“These were not his best two matches in the national team, but do not kill him quickly.

“I will not tell you whether he will be a starter or on the bench, that is not the most important thing.

“He is still our leader. He has always played under pressure. The team and I have complete confidence in him.”

Group favourites Algeria, tournament winners in 2019, twice came from behind to salvage a point against Burkina Faso thanks to Baghdad Bounedjah’s double, which included a stoppage-time equaliser.

Belmadi’s side are unbeaten in their last 10 matches but are bidding for their first win in six Africa Cup of Nations fixtures.

Mauritania boss Amir Abdou apologised to the West African nation after his side’s 3-2 defeat to Angola on Saturday left them bottom of the group without a point.

The Lions of Chinguetti, who lost out to a stoppage-time penalty when beaten 1-0 by Burkina Faso in their opening game, have yet to win at the Africa Cup of Nations after losing six and drawing two of their previous eight encounters.

Abdou told a press conference after his side’s defeat to Angola: “We are not here to distribute points. We will prepare for Algeria.

“I respect the Algerian team. It is a very good team. Our objective is to put in a good performance and will hang on to get a good result.

“We have not given a bad image, we must continue to move forward and not lament. I am sorry for disappointing the people of Mauritania.”

Mauricio Pochettino called on Chelsea supporters to be the difference in helping his side overturn a one-goal aggregate deficit when they face Middlesbrough in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

Tuesday’s game at Stamford Bridge sees the team looking to reach its first major final since co-owner Todd Boehly completed his takeover of the club in May 2022.

Former Blues player Pat Nevin on Monday described the atmosphere at home games this season as being like “a mausoleum”, whilst there was a confrontation between players and travelling Chelsea supporters immediately after the first leg at the Riverside Stadium two weeks ago.

Form at home has been significantly improved in recent weeks after the 11 months between January to November 2023 brought just three victories.

Despite this there has been a noticeably subdued atmosphere at times, particularly when Chelsea have struggled to break down teams they would typically be expected to beat.

Pochettino, whose side’s current three-game winning run in the Premier League is their longest in over a year, will be without summer signing Christopher Nkunku and eight other players for the visit of Michael Carrick’s Boro.

The manager said support in west London will therefore be critical if the team is to reach a first final since May 2022.

“It’s a passport to the final, to visit Wembley,” he said. “It’s an important game for the club, for us, for everyone. We want to be in the final but first of all we need to beat a very good team that, in the first leg, we could not beat.

“We’re confident we can have a very good game in front of our fans. We need to take advantage of playing at Stamford Bridge with all the energy that will translate from our fans.

“We were disappointed after the (first leg). When you analyse it, we deserved more, but football sometimes is not what you deserve – it’s to be clinical, aggressive, to score goals.

“We were all disappointed but we have 90 minutes to fix the situation. We’re going to respect the opponent. But it’s a massive chance for us to go to the final and win a title.”

Pochettino will not be able to call on Cesare Casadei against Boro after the 21-year-old midfielder was recalled early from his loan at Leicester.

The Italian played for the Foxes in both domestic cup competitions this season, meaning he will also be ineligible for Friday’s FA Cup fourth-round meeting with Aston Villa.

However, the manager hinted both Casadei and Diego Moreira, who has also been brought back after a loan at Benfica was terminated, could have roles to play this season.

“We need to assess them, he said. “They have good potential. I think they’re going to be part of our squad. We need to decide whether they will be in the squad every week.

“It’s good news because we were suffering too many injures, so to recover players from loan is important.

“In pre-season (Casadei) did really well. We suffered a bit by allowing him to go. (Tuesday) it’s not possible because he played for Leicester in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, but in the Premier League maybe he can be involved and be part of the squad.”

Steven Naismith expects Scott Fraser to bring fresh “goal threat” to Hearts as the midfielder prepares to complete a transfer from Charlton.

The 28-year-old former Dundee United player has spent the last five and a half years in England with Burton, MK Dons, Ipswich and the Addicks, but he is preparing to return to Scotland with the Jambos.

Manager Naismith is hoping the loan deal can be finalised in time for Fraser to be involved in Tuesday’s cinch Premiership match at home to Dundee.

“He’s been in, we’ve seen him, he’s had his medical, the hold-up is more down to office work and paperwork,” confirmed the Hearts boss.

“He’s somebody who will bring experience and a goal threat in the final part of the pitch. He’s an intelligent footballer and it’s something we hope to get done.
“People up here have maybe lost touch with him (since he left Dundee United in 2018). He was an exciting prospect at Dundee United and he’s gone down and had a really good career in England.

“He’s got an appetite to be in the final third, creating chances and scoring goals. He has the vision to see good passes. And on top of that, at 28 he’s got good experience from the English game and he understands what Scottish football is about.”

Naismith also confirmed that talismanic forward Lawrence Shankland will return to lead the attack on Tuesday after he missed Saturday’s Scottish Cup win at Spartans through illness.

“Lawrence trained today so he’ll be in the squad,” he said. “He’s a leader and he’s playing probably the best football he ever has so it’s good to have him back.”

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon was handed his first start in 13 months on Saturday after recovering from a double leg-break.

Naismith refused to divulge whether the 41-year-old would retain his place on Tuesday although he did hint that fellow Scotland keeper Zander Clark, who has deputised in Gordon’s absence, will come back into the side.

“We know what’s happening, you can wait and see,” he said. “It wasn’t a difficult decision.

“With players you need to be honest and give them the reason you’re making decisions. We’re a close group and everybody understands where they are and what their position is. We’re comfortable with it all.

“The last month before the break, I think Zander’s level went up from where it was, which was already very good. I think that’s because Craig was back and was fit.

“At every club, players play their best when they know there’s competition.”

VAR could not intervene to disallow Ivan Toney’s free-kick for Brentford against Nottingham Forest on Saturday because the protocol for using the technology does not cover restarts.

Forest are understood to have written to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and the Premier League asking for clarification regarding Toney’s goal.

The Brentford forward moved the ball to the right of the spot designated in vanishing spray by referee Darren England before he took the set-piece, and even moved some of the spray to the new spot.

Toney’s actions could have been deemed as unsporting behaviour and worthy of a yellow card if the officials had spotted it, but the VAR Michael Salisbury was unable to intervene under the protocol laid down by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the laws of the game.

Under the VAR protocols published on the IFAB website, it states that VAR may only consider clear and obvious errors in relation to goals, the awarding of penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity.

When a goal is scored or disallowed, the IFAB protocol states that only the following can be considered: an “attacking team offence in the build-up to or scoring of the goal (handball, foul, offside etc)”, and the ball being out of play prior to the goal.

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said after the match: “The law is clear – every situation that leads to a goal must be checked. It’s not even a matter of inches, it’s almost a yard.”

Toney’s goal was his first since his return from an eight-month gambling ban and helped Thomas Frank’s men leapfrog their opponents in the Premier League table.

PGMOL has not yet commented on the incident.