Larsen scores twice as Crystal Palace cruise past Middlesbrough 3-0 in the Carabao Cup

Selhurst Park witnessed an almost perfect evening for Crystal Palace as the hosts secured their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough. A brace of headers from Larsen and a sublime chip from Kamada settled the tie, but the most pleasing aspect was the smooth performance from a Palace side that rotated eight positions from the team which beat Fulham 3-2 at the weekend. Head coach Sage handed first starts to several new signings, notably Oscar Mingueza at right wing-back. The Spanish defender made an immediate impact by delivering a precise left-footed cross for Larsen to head home from close range past Sol Brynn. The opener exposed the space left by Middlesbrough's defence in aerial duels. Larsen doubled his tally early in the second half when Ben Chilwell, who had scored the winner against Fulham three days earlier, turned provider with a pinpoint cross. The striker rose highest again to make it 2-0. Palace's dominance continued, and substitute Kamada capped the night with a brilliant chip over Brynn from outside the box after coming off the bench. Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg also made eight changes following their 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers. Will Lankshear, one of the Championship's joint-top scorers, remained on the bench until the second half, by which time the visitors were already two goals behind. Palace controlled the tempo and saw out the match comfortably. The victory was built on smart tactical flexibility. Mingueza regularly moved inside to create space, while Chilwell pushed high to provide width. Palace handled Middlesbrough's pressure with composure, and their ability to rotate effectively gives Sage valuable options for the busy schedule ahead. For Middlesbrough, the focus now shifts firmly to the Championship promotion push.