TEAM NEWS
Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray will be without a trio of ineligible players. Midfielder Josh McEachran has not played in the competition to date under the terms of his loan agreement with the Blues, while Kieron Dyer and Sammy Ameobi are cup-tied. Dyer played for former club QPR in a 1-1 third-round draw with West Brom, while Ameobi, who on Monday joined Boro on loan from neighbours Newcastle for the rest of the season, started the Magpies' 2-0 defeat at Championship Brighton at the same stage of the competition. Mowbray will also be without striker Lukas Jutkiewicz (ankle) and central defender Jonathan Woodgate (calf), although the latter has a chance of returning for the league clash with league leaders Cardiff at the weekend. In addition, Stuart Parnaby (hamstring tear), Justin Hoyte (hip) and Julio Arca (toe) remain on the sidelines.
Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta will both miss out. Centre-back Cahill has been struck down by a virus ahead of the trip to the Riverside, while right-back Azpilicueta is sidelined with discomfort in his leg. Interim manager Rafael Benitez plans to rotate his squad in a bid to deal with the busy fixture list, meaning captain John Terry may be rested. Long-term absentee Oriol Romeu continues to miss out with a knee injury.
MANAGER QUOTES
Tony Mowbray: "Believe me if I was on the terraces I would be moaning as well. The nature of the goals we lose are very frustrating for us all. We can't keep giving cheap goals away. And yet I'm sure the supporters saw a team that was striving and driving to get back into the game in the second half and we very, very nearly did. We are all aware of the situation but it's important that we try to stay positive."
Rafa Benitez: "We are training really well and the atmosphere is good inside. My relationship with the players is fantastic. I have a good group who are working hard and are keen to learn, they were disappointed like me after the defeat. The competition for the top four will go until the end of the season, that was my opinion before and it still is now. It's really important for us, but a top side has to try and win every competition and every game. We will pick the best players for every game in our consideration because we know how the players train and how they are."
MATCH FACTS
This will be the fourth meeting between Middlesbrough and Chelsea in the FA Cup proper; of the previous three ties, Chelsea have won two (including the 1997 final) and 'Boro have won one.
In all competitions, Chelsea have won their last five against Middlesbrough without conceding a single goal (13 goals scored).
The Teesiders have only lost three of their last 22 FA Cup games at the Riverside Stadium (W15 D4).
Since their most recent relegation from the Premier League, 'Boro have been eliminated from both of their FA Cup ties against top-flight sides, including a replay defeat to Sunderland last season.
Chelsea are unbeaten in 26 FA Cup games, though this run does include a penalty shootout defeat to Everton in February 2011.
The Londoners' record of 26 unbeaten FA Cup games is the longest ever run without defeat in the FA Cup (next best Blackburn Rovers on 23, ended in 1886).
Since their semi-final defeat to Liverpool in April 2006, the Blues have lost just one of 37 FA Cup games outright (W30 D6).
Chelsea have won seven and lost none of their last nine away games in the competition, scoring 22 and conceding just six.
The Blues have only lost one of their last 52 FA Cup games against lower ranked sides; losing 0-1 to Barnsley in March 2008.
MATCH ODDS
Middlesbrough 7/1, Chelsea 4/9, Draw 15/4.
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