Christensen becomes Conte’s go-to defender
IT is a measure of Andreas Christensen’s rise to prominence at Chelsea that coach Antonio Conte is considering resting the defender against Qarabag tomorrow night. In the space of three months, the Denmark international has gone from young hopeful to key man.
Suspensions and injuries to senior members of the squad have helped his rise but there is no question Christensen has risen to the challenge.
He has been exemplary in David Luiz’s position in the middle of the back three after the Brazilian was dropped.
Conte is now thinking of recalling Luiz for the Champions League match in Azerbaijan, where the Blues could secure qualification for the last 16.
The bigger test lies on Saturday with a trip to Liverpool in the Premier League and it is significant that Conte is thinking about playing Luiz in Baku in order to save Christensen for Anfield. At the beginning of the campaign, it would have definitely been the other way around.
Conte said: “I have always answered that it [Luiz being dropped] was a tactical decision. Every game I have to try to make the best decision for the team and if I’m taking this decision it means Christensen is deserving to play.
“I think Christensen is playing very well but we have to play a lot of games. We need all the players and to have different solutions is good.”
Even if Luiz and Conte repair their seemingly strained relationship, Christensen has already cemented his longterm future at Stamford Bridge. The 21-year-old clearly benefited from spending the last two seasons on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach.
His defending is assured —
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A FORMER Chelsea scout, who was facing historical child abuse charges in Scotland, has died. Harry Dunn, 84, appeared in a private hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in April. Dunn went on to scout for Rangers and Liverpool after his time at Stamford Bridge.
He was arrested in March and was released on bail for inquiries to continue. A Sherriff Court spokesman said: “He appeared in court in connection with alleged sexual offences in the 1980s.” manner in which he nullified £90million striker Romelu Lukaku in the 1-0 win against Manchester United earlier this month demonstrated that, while he rarely gives the ball away.
Christensen said: “Everyone at Chelsea has helped me this season, the ones that were here before I went on loan and the new players. All of them have made it easy.”
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