Some you win, some you Luiz
Conte beats United after axeing unruly Brazilian
ANTONIO CONTE bombed out David Luiz then warned the rest of the Cheslea squad: “The same could happen to you.”
A few weeks after hailing the Brazilian as his best defender the Blues boss cast doubt on the player’s future by axeing him for their biggest game of the season.
Luiz paid the price for questioning Conte’s tactics in a team meeting last week and was frozen out of Chelsea’s build-up to the United clash for trying to challenge the Italian’s authority.
But the risky move paid off as they got one over old boss Jose Mourinho with Alvaro Morata’s stunning 55th-minute header sealing the win.
Conte said: “It’s a tactical decision – he has to work really hard otherwise they are on the bench or in the stand.
“This can happen to every one of my players if they’re not in good form. I must take the best decision for the club, not a single player.”
Conte brought fit-again N’Golo Kante straight back into his starting XI and he was magnificent, covering every blade of grass.
Youngster Andreas Christensen shone in Luiz’s place in just his fourth league start as Chelsea dominated the game from the start but they really turned it up after half-time.
Eden Hazard missed a great chance before Cesar Azpilicueta found Morata who nodded past David de Gea.
United’s £75million striker Romelu Lukaku was poor by comparison. Marouane Fellaini went closest for United late on but his deflected shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Mourinho is worried about falling further behind leaders Man City but insists United can close the gap.
He said: “We are worried but there are 18 teams more worried than us because we are second. Eight points in the Premier League is not the same as in the Portuguese league, La Liga, Bundesliga. There’s a lot to play for.”