The Blues made the trip to Riverside Stadium for yesterday’s FA Cup clash. They dominated from the start, with Romelu Lukaku scoring in the 15th minute.
Hakim Ziyech extended the lead in the 31st minute. Boro struggled to mount a comeback after the break, failing to register a single shot on target throughout the encounter.
Silva was outstanding at the heart of the Blues’ defense once again. He had 118 touches and 105 passes in 90 minutes. He hit five long balls with success.
In addition, the Brazilian won seven of his eight duels. Boro posed little of a goal threat, with the exception of Folarin Balogun, who sent his shot over the crossbar.
Since arriving on a free transfer in 2020, Silva has been a fantastic addition to the Blues. Given that he was already 35, there were some reservations about his qualifications.
He made a disastrous league start against West Bromwich Albion but has since put up several world-class performances for the west London giants across all competitions.
Chelsea were unquestionably huge favorites against Boro on Sunday, but they still had to be wary of the Championship side, who had surprised Manchester United and Tottenham.
With superb defensive performance, Silva proved he was up to the task. He will be crucial for the Blues in their quest to win the FA Cup, which they have failed to do in the past. Chelsea reached the finals in the previous two seasons but was defeated by Arsenal and Leicester City, respectively. They’ll be eager to go all the way this time.
Given the fact that Manchester City and Liverpool are still engaged, it won’t be an easy task. The latter recently defeated them in the Carabao Cup final on penalties.