A single goal from an unlikely source takes Chelsea into the FA Cup semi-finals following a feisty match with Manchester United.
Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0
N’Golo Kante’s fine strike was enough to see off a battling Manchester United who played much of a compelling encounter with ten men.
The Chelsea midfielder, who was set up by Willian, steered home a shot from outside the box after the break.
The goal had an air of inevitability about it – the Blues out-shot their visitors by 20 to four and enjoyed 73% possession – but much of that dominance arose after Ander Herrera was sent off for a second yellow card.
The actual foul that led to the Spaniard’s dismissal was almost nondescript, but he was essentially paying for the sins of a team who had spent the first-half targeting Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard.
Herrera will now miss the next two league matches against Middlesbrough and West Brom – this was his second sending-off of the season – although that will have little Fantasy impact as the midfielder is owned by just 0.7%.
United’s task was always going to be a tough one. Without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jose Mourinho looked like having to cobble together a side shorn of any recognised forward at all until Marcus Rashford, who had been ill, declared himself fit enough to play.
The young England forward acquitted himself well but will rue seeing the one clear chance he had saved by the otherwise under-employed Thibaut Courtois.
Having trialled a back three in the Europa League draw with Rostov, Mourinho was expected to roll out the same formation at Stamford Bridge, only to demonstrate his squad’s flexibility by reverting to a back four.
Phil Jones was again in the starting XI but deployed in a holding midfield role, charged mainly with attempting to diffuse the threat from Hazard. It remains to be seen if Mourinho persists with this ploy: it seems likely that Jones will now revert to a central defensive role.
At 4.7, Jones represents the cheapest of United regular starters in defence, and could capitalise on an immediate schedule that involves Middlesbrough, West Brom, Everton and Sunderland, with the toughest of those matches, Everton, taking place at Old Trafford.
The case for Jones would be strengthened further still if Marcos Rojo is cited for what appeared to be a stamp on Diego Costa, with whom he had a running battle all evening.
Rashford (6.4) also looks good for further starts as Ibrahimovic will miss the next two league matches and Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial are struggling to overcome the injuries that forced them out of last night’s clash. Certainly, for the clashes with Boro and West Brom, Rashford could offer a short-term differential.
For Chelsea, Pedro’s position as an unused sub in last night’s match could raise mild concern for his growing band of 9% FPL owners. The Spaniard is the fourth most transferred in midfielder since last weekend, having provided two goals and a pair of assists in his last three, yet he resorted to bench-warming duties as Willian was preferred on the right of the front three instead. Nonetheless, Pedro will be expected to earn a recall at Stoke City in Gameweek 29.
Indeed, with Victor Moses forced off with a reported calf problem in the latter stages, both Pedro and Willian could be unleashed from the start at the bet365 this weekend if the Nigerian fails to make it; Pedro would be the likely deputy at right wing-back.
The all-Premier League semi-finals – Chelsea v Tottenham and Man City v Arsenal – will take place over the weekend of April 22 and 23 during Gameweek 34.
Man City could be in Champions League quarter-final action leading up to that weekend, but there looks to be scope for the Gameweek fixtures involving all four teams to be moved to the midweek after the FA Cup semi-finals.
Chelsea are due to entertain Southampton, Spurs are at Leicester, Arsenal are home to Sunderland and Man City host West Brom.
Chelsea XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses (Zouma 89), Kante, Matic, Alonso, Willian (Fabregas 81), Costa (Batshuayi 90+4), Hazard.
Subs not used: Begovic, Pedro, Terry, Chalobah.
Man United XI: de Gea, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Valencia, Ander Herrera, Pogba, Darmian, Mkhitaryan (Fellaini 37), Rashford, Young (Lingard 81).
Subs not used: Romero, Bailly, Mata, Carrick, Blind.
