Manchester United’s strategy was to shackle Chelsea’s main creative force by any means and Phil Jones could have been sent off before Ander Herrera wasMidway through a thrilling, slightly wild first half at Stamford Bridge Phil Jones could be seen bumping and jouncing into the back of Eden Hazard on the edge of the Chelsea box like a middle-aged man performing an aggressively drunken conga at the office party. As Hazard fell Jones also stood on his hand, no doubt balancing up the throb in Hazard’s right cheek, where Ander Herrera had left his shoulder a few minutes before.The match facts will reveal that this 1-0 FA Cup quarter final victory was decided by N’Golo Kanté’s clinching goal just after...
There is needle to the relationship between Antonio Conte and José Mourinho; goalkeepers may tempt Real Madrid; and N’Golo Kanté is a bargainJosé Mourinho tends to single out those he considers threats and Antonio Conte, the permanent successor to his crown, is his target of choice. Having spent the buildup suggesting Chelsea play a more defensive style of football than under his stewardship, and that the Premier League leaders have benefited from a lack of European football, all that frustration that has simmered since the 4-0 humiliation here in October came pouring out. The pair do not know each other well but there is needle already to their relationship. The fourth official, Mike Jones, found himself sandwiched as they screamed...
Arsène Wenger overcomes resistance to change, Aitor Karanka wants fighters more than Stewart Downing, and José Mourinho has more pressing concerns than getting revenge at ChelseaOne of the many criticisms routinely directed at Arsène Wenger concerns his tactical conservatism and it is fair to say that he has seldom deviated from his preferred and predictable 4-2-3-1 in recent years. But on the back of a crucial drop in form Wenger has actually started the last two games with a new plan, playing 4-3-3 against Bayern Munich and Lincoln to address the malfunctioning midfield by adding an extra man. He thinks some of his midfielders, namely Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, benefit from being in a three and perhaps it is...
José Mourinho may follow Tottenham’s lead and reinforce Manchester United’s defence in FA Cup sixth-round tie to counter the loss of his No1 strikerEvents this season are not quite going as José Mourinho has told them to. There is a possibility, of course, that he was being sincere in his praise of Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the EFL Cup final and that he had no ulterior motive in telling Manchester United fans to camp at his Swedish striker’s house until he signed a new contract, but it would go so against the grain of the past 15 years of public utterances that have either been emotional outbursts or calculating manipulations that there is little point detaining ourselves any further with the...
N’Golo Kanté was already a Premier League winner with Leicester City but when Chelsea face Manchester United in the FA Cup they will field someone who has plainly improvedThere was no fumbling for the right words, or even the slightest of pauses to contemplate how best to elaborate, in his second language, on all things N’Golo Kanté. Instead, Antonio Conte snapped right back with the kind of compliment that carries proper weight. “He is an example to all,” said the Chelsea manager of a player making the difference. “N’Golo is a fantastic guy, a fantastic player, with great commitment and great behaviour. Yes, a great example.”Almost nine months into Kanté’s career at Chelsea and the temptation is already there to...