Paulo's a cool customer!

Paulo Gazzaniga continues to take everything in his stride.

After keeping a clean sheet in last week's 7-0 FA Cup win over Tranmere, the shot-stopper followed up with another in the first leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old appeared unfazed considering the importance of the tie as he produced some fine saves in the 1-0 win - a result which continued his 100 per cent record from nine appearances, including a penalty shoot-out success against Watford in the third round of this season's Carabao Cup.

After Harry Kane had given us a first-half lead from the spot, the keeper had to be alert for the remainder of the game and displayed superb reflexes to tip Callum Hudson-Odoi’s deflected cross onto the post before he thwarted N'Golo Kante's effort from distance in the second half.

Typical of the unflappable Paulo, when asked if that game had been the biggest of his career so far, he replied: “I don’t know, maybe!”

It is that calmness we have become accustomed to with the Argentine, but he feels that the composure he shows between the sticks stems from his team-mates.

“I feel calm because of my team-mates, they give me the support I need and the work we do during the week,” he continued. “I’m very thankful to the gaffer, Mauricio, Jesus, Toni and Miguel, like always, they give me the support. I’m very thankful to them.”

The triumph over the Blues has edged us closer to February’s Wembley final but Paulo is well aware that we are only at the halfway stage in the semi-final.

And, while he was proud of the hard work we put in to get the first-leg advantage, he believes the return leg at Stamford Bridge in two weeks could be even tougher for us.

“This was one semi-final game, we played it like a semi-final. This game was like the first half because we still have one more game to come,” he explained.

“Our behaviour was good, we showed character and we were great when we had to play football.

“Everyone at the back worked hard but as well, the strikers and midfielders, we work all together and when we defend, we all defend together, and this is key.

“It’s another game (at Stamford Bridge). It’s going to be tough, like here, maybe more difficult but we’ll prepare, we’re in a good way and we have to keep doing the same.”