A brilliantly executed counter-attack goal from Joe Cole and an all-round quality display from Chelsea means the club will contest the sixth League Cup final in our history.
The Carling Cup holders will take on Tottenham at Wembley next month after an Everton storm failed to materialise apart from one brief second-half spell. The Chelsea goal came midway through the second half but our passage to the final had looked likely throughout.
That was even with a nasty surprise before kick-off when news broke that Michael Ballack was not available due to a minor calf strain. Shaun Wright-Phillips however had been successful in overcoming a turned ankle at the weekend to take his place in midfield
Ballack's misfortune meant a place for Steve Sidwell and there was a change at left-back with Wayne Bridge preferred to Ashley Cole. Claude Makelele assumed the captaincy.
Everton's injury scares proved largely unfounded so Andy Johnson was able to lead the home side's attack (playing ahead of Tim Cahill) and Leon Osman and on-loan Manuel Fernandes were in midfield.
The first attempt on-target was Chelsea's after two minutes - Anelka shielding the ball for Wright-Phillips to shoot - the ball headed behind by Jagielka.
Belletti had another go on the counter after eight minutes, spooning well over. Then Lescott from an Arteta corner headed dangerously into the six-yard box but Cech scrambled the ball away with Cahill failing to make contact.
For a split second it looked as if Malouda had played Anelka clean through but the central striker was just offside.
Twenty minutes had now passed and Everton, although looking capable of out-flanking Chelsea down our left at times, had yet to cause any major panics in the away team defence. Chelsea were looking for chances to hit Everton on the counter-attack.
After an initial ferment, the pre-game hype over the Goodison atmosphere was sounding an exaggeration. It was pretty much standard home support - no more, no less.
Carsley, as in the first leg, was the game's first booking - this time for a late challenge on Makelele on 25 minutes.
Anelka tested Howard with a low shot after good work from Sidwell and Malouda but the Everton keeper met the challenge with ease.
With just over 10 minutes of the first-half remaining, Avram Grant's men produced their first period of sustained pressure - the composed Anelka very much involved. It ended when Malouda fired over from a good position.
Everton's best moment of the half came with six minutes remaining - a darting run and shot from Johnson that hit the side-netting via a slight deflection.
Chelsea were asked to deal with an Everton corner with a minute remaining until the break. When it was comfortably caught by brand new dad, Petr Cech, it was symbolic of our one -goal advantage well maintained during the opening 45 minutes.
In the first minute of the second-half, in similar fashion to the start of the first, Jagielka's head came in the way of Chelsea and a goal, this time inadvertently diverting Anelka's shot onto the bar after Joe Cole had skilfully turned inside Nuno Valente. Misfortune had again come between the new signing and his first Chelsea strike.
Wright-Phillips shot well wide soon after and then was denied by a Lescott last-ditch challenge. If Everton had intended to come out after the break and storm the Chelsea barricades, it wasn't happening.
Thirteen minutes in they did work Cech - twice in quick succession. The first time, from a free-kick routine, Neville powered in a strike which the Chelsea keeper pushed away, the clearance flying between Johnson's legs.
Then Johnson himself shot and Jagielka back-heeled, Cech saving with his legs. It proved to be Everton's best spell and we had survived with Cech supreme.
With 25 minutes remaining, Makelele was booked for not retreating at a free-kick and then three minutes later, Chelsea hit the decisive goal.
Not for the first time in the game, Malouda hit one of the front runners with a perfect long pass, this time that man was Joe Cole.
In front of a watching Fabio Capello, the England player brought the ball down with one touch and with his second, slammed it past Howard from 12 yards.
It was a quality strike - and a quality save at the other end by Cech prevented Andy Johnson firing Everton straight back into the game.
David Moyes by then had added a second striker - Anichebe for Carsley. It was a change he was preparing even before the goal.
Fernandes was booked for dramatically disputing a Chelsea free-kick, andBelletti followed into the book for a foul on Arteta. He will serve a one-game suspension versus Reading.
By now the Chelsea travelling support was out-singing the home fans with their 'Going to Wembley' chorus. Valente and Neville were both booked for fouls as the game continued to drift away from the Merseysiders.
Wright-Phillips drove a 20-yard shot in that Howard saved and Pizarro bounced an effort not too far wide. The Peruvian then struck an excellent chance straight at Howard in stoppage time but the insurance of a second goal was not needed.
It was a second leg smash-and-grab expertly performed. Chelsea, for the first time under Avram Grant, are going to Wembley!
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge; Wright-Phillips, Makelele (c), Sidwell; J Cole (Pizarro 82), Anelka (Ben-Haim 90+2), Malouda (A Cole 89).
Scorer J Cole 68
Booked Makelele 65, Belletti 75.
Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Neville (c), Jagielka, Lescott, Valente; Arteta, Fernandes (Vaughan 78), Carsley (Anichebe 69), Osman; Cahill; Johnson.
Booked Carsley 25, Fernandes 73, Valente 80, Neville 82.
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