Liverpool’s defensive frailties, Wayne Rooney’s nous in both boxes, an unwanted headache for Paul Clement and Manchester United’s unsung heroes
So, why was it that Chelsea decided they could afford to let Nemanja Matic join Manchester United and willingly pass over one of the more brilliantly effective midfield players of the modern game to a major rival? When that question was posed to José Mourinho after Manchester United’s biggest league win since he took over as manager he made it sound as if he was slightly bewildered, too. “It depends on what is happening, or what was happening, behind doors and we don’t know,” he said. “The only thing I know is that, with Chelsea’s money, I brought him to Stamford Bridge because I thought he was a player with special qualities and ever since I left I always thought he could be a perfect player for us.” That still doesn’t answer the question about why Chelsea have apparently given Mourinho the final piece in his jigsaw when it comes to assembling a team capable of winning the Premier League. We never get a satisfactory answer and, in the meantime, Matic has quickly shown it might be a grave error on Chelsea’s part. United were struggling to break down West Ham until Matic’s interception sparked the breakaway that led to Romelu Lukaka’s first goal.
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