MOURINHO’S
Matic holds key on return to old stomping ground
LONDON
CHELSEA’S decision to sell Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic to title rivals Manchester United raised more than a few eyebrows and the consequences may be felt when the sides clash in the Premier League on Sunday.
Matic left the London club after three and a half years to re-join former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford. He has played every minute in the league since, helping United to second place in the table, five points behind Manchester City.
“I feel when I played there, I showed them my quality. We won the title twice and also two cups, so I don’t have to prove to them anything. I just have to prove something to my new club,” Matic is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
The 29-year-old said he was not concerned about his reception at Stamford Bridge but is wary of losing to the champions as it would give rivals the opportunity to insert themselves into the title race.
“We know we must respect them,” Matic added. “They are a good team, they’re champions and it’s going to be a hard game for us, but we also have our own qualities.”
Mourinho’s capture of Matic is looking shrewder every week, prompting former United defender Phil Neville to say after Chelsea’s 3-0 Champions League drubbing at AS Roma this week that selling the Serb was the main reason why Chelsea are struggling defensively.
His absence from Chelsea’s midfield will be highlighted further should N’Golo Kante fail to recover from a hamstring injury.
The Frenchman i s back i n training but if he misses out against United, Chelsea will be without both members of the central midfield pairing that guided them to the title last season.
In their place, Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko bring creative attacking qualities, but do not provide the extra cover Conte craves and United’s pacy forwards could have the freedom to seriously threaten a fragile Chelsea defence that has conceded 10 league goals this season.
United’s main striker Romelu Lukaku has gone six games without a goal, however, and Mourinho must decide whether to play Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial together in the hope their raw speed and trickery can unsettle the Chelsea rearguard.
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said his teammates will put absolutely everything on the line to beat United at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have made a stuttering start to their title defence with three losses in 10 games to sit in fourth spot, nine points adrift of City and four behind United.
“We will try to get the three points and will give our lives for it on Sunday,” Courtois told British media.
“We have to react on Sunday as the Roma defeat was a bad image of ourselves... we must win games like these (United) to remain at the top and close to the other ones (teams).”
Conte’s side have kept only four clean sheets in the Premier League so far this season plus one in four Champions L e ague matches and Courtois knows they have to sort out their defensive problems for United’s visit.
“We have to find that balance again and rediscover that mentality of not conceding goals and keeping clean sheets,” said the Belgian international.
Earlier on Sunday, City bid to extend their record-equalling start to the campaign at home to Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s side have looked invincible at times, winning their last eight league games by an aggregate score of 32-5.
However, City have only won one of their last nine matches against Arsenal and will be facing the Gunners after a testing away trip to Napoli, where they won 4-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Chelsea and United, as well as Tottenham Hotspur who welcome Crystal Palace on Sunday, will be hoping Arsene Wenger’s men can cause an upset at the Etihad and blow the title race wide open.
A win for Arsenal would also drag them back into contention. They lie fifth, nine points off the pace.
On Saturday, West Ham United host Liverpool and their under- pressure manager Slaven Bilic will be desperate to avoid the 4-0 mauling they suffered in last season’s corresponding fixture.
Bilic’s side have recorded two wins in their opening 10 league games of the season and currently sit a point above the relegation zone in 16th place.
They have lost five points from winning positions, allowing Southampton, Burnley and most recently Crystal Palace to score late goals, and West Ham captain Mark Noble said such results could cost them in the long run.
“You can’t make mistakes like we made at Crystal Palace in the Premier League and expect to win matches, so we really need to learn how to hold onto a lead because we’re really shooting ourselves in the foot,” the 30-yearold midfielder told the club’s website (www.whufc.com).
“People talk about ‘managing the game’ and a lot of it is common sense. We need to be able to see the time out by slowing the play down and, in a way, get the opposition and their fans feeling anxious. I don’t think we have done that well enough this season.”
Over the last two seasons, West Ham have lost just once in six meetings with Liverpool in all competitions but Noble said his team will have to be at their best to beat Jurgen Klopp’s men at the London Stadium.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has been added to the club’s growing injury list after limping out of their Champions League win over Maribor on Wednesday.
Wijnaldum was substituted in the 17th minute of the 3-0 victory over the Slovenian side and Klopp said he had suffered an ankle injury.
Liverpool are already without Brazilian Philippe Coutinho (thigh) and Adam Lallana (thigh), while forward Sadio Mane remains sidelined as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
“At halftime I asked immediately and the ankle was already swollen. It’s probably not a good sign,” Klopp said of Wijnaldum. “We saw a kick in the game and didn’t think it was too serious. Then it was swollen. We’re not sure if he twisted it or not. For sure, we have to make a scan...
“We missed three and then after Gini went off, four of maybe the most creative players in the league. It doesn’t make your life easier because whatever you plan before the game the players have to do the job.”
Coutinho is unlikely to be fit to face West Ham but defender Dejan Lovren, who also missed the Maribor game with a thigh injury, has a chance to play, Klopp said.
“It is different with Dejan,” Klopp said. “It’s not the same problem Phil has and he is not out for that long a time, but Gini is out so maybe there will be a wonder or something like this and Phil is in. But I don’t think in this moment that he can play.” Agencies