Boro must raise game - Mowbray

Manager Tony Mowbray admitted his Middlesbrough side must raise their game against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium this evening.

A semi-final place in the Capital One Cup is the rich prize at stake as the visitors aim for a fifth successive away win in the competition against their Premiership hosts.

"The fixtures have got slightly more difficult as we have gone along in the competition, as you would expect," Mowbray told the Evening Gazette. "From Bury to Gillingham to Preston and then away to a Premier League side in Sunderland, the task has been getting tougher and the bar has been raised a bit - but we have raised our level to meet each new challenge and won. Now we have to do that again.

"Swansea is the next test and, again, a bigger test, but one we look forward to," he added. "We know we have to be positive and set out to win, so we will pick a team to try and give them a few problems if that is possible."

Bradford City have already confirmed their place in the semi-final after shocking Arsenal last night while Aston Villa won convincingly at Norwich City. Leeds United host Chelsea next week in the fourth quarter-final tie.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.