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..::Football IV::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
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Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1: Lukaku and Lingard complete Old Trafford comeback
Romelu Lukaku ended his wait for a Manchester United goal against a top Premier League side as the Red Devils came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday.The Belgium international cancelled out Willian's opener and set up Jesse Lingard for a second-half winner as Jose Mourinho's side moved back above Liverpool to within 13 points of league leaders Manchester City.
United's 2-0 win in this fixture last season was their only victory over Chelsea across 14 matches in all competitions, and it seemed that poor record was set to continue when Willian blasted home his 12th goal of the season to cap a strong first half-hour from the visitors.
Lukaku levelled before the break with his first opportunity though, combining well with Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial before slotting home his first goal against a team in the top eight in 2017-18.The game seemed destined to end in a draw until substitute Lingard headed home with 15 minutes left, lifting United two points back above Liverpool and leaving the reigning champions in fifth, two behind Tottenham.
Chelsea's bright start saw them come within inches of taking the lead just five minutes in, with Alvaro Morata - restored to the starting line-up in the league for the first time since January 13 - crashing a volley off the crossbar from point-blank range after being picked out by Marcos Alonso.
United had looked happy to allow the visitors the early possession and showed some more attacking intent midway through the half, with Alexis Sanchez spurning a terrific chance when he prodded the ball straight at Thibaut Courtois after taking what seemed to be an unnecessary extra touch.It proved a costly miss, as Chelsea stunned the hosts on the break 32 minutes in.
Eden Hazard took the ball into the United half and played a fine reverse pass into the path of Willian, who had time to stride into the box and drill the ball past David de Gea, who should perhaps have done better.
The visitors were comfortably on top but United found an equaliser six minutes before the break as their front three suddenly came to life. Sanchez fed Martial in the penalty area and the Frenchman laid the ball into the path of Lukaku, who side-footed past Courtois. The game settled back into a stalemate as neither team looked prepared to risk a defeat, although De Gea's unconvincing stop from Danny Drinkwater led to a timely clearance by Antonio Valencia, with Alonso ready to pounce.
Sanchez had found it tough to influence proceedings but he almost created a second for Lukaku, with Courtois reacting brilliantly to tip over the Belgian's volley.
But just as the game seemed set to end level, Lingard once more emerged as United's hero, darting in behind Andreas Christensen to head in Lukaku's cross from the right and send the Stretford End into raptures.
Crystal Palace 0 Tottenham 1: Late Kane header snatches victory
Harry Kane netted his 150th goal in club football as a late header claimed a vital 1-0 victory for Tottenham against Crystal Palace, handing a hammer blow to the Eagles' bid for Premier League survival in the process.
Having missed a gilt-edged opportunity earlier in the second half, Kane made amends in the 88th minute of Sunday's clash at Selhurst Park, powering home a brilliant header from Christian Eriksen's corner.Mauricio Pochettino's side had dominated throughout, but often struggled to break down Palace's stubborn defence.
Eriksen did manage to carve out an opening in the 54th minute, only for Kane to volley wide from inside the six-yard box.It was Kane's second big opportunity of the game, with Wayne Hennessey having pulled off an excellent stop to deny the Premier League's leading scorer early on.
Palace's injury woes were compounded late on when defender James Tomkins went down in innocuous fashion, and his absence was felt when Kane finally headed home the winner with the final whistle fast approaching.
Palace were fortunate not to concede a penalty inside eight minutes - Hennessey's indecision almost proving costly when he brought down Ben Davies, but Kevin Friend waved play on.
Hennessey atoned moments later, though, rushing out to deny Kane following Patrick van Aanholt's poor clearance, before James McArthur saw a goal-bound strike blocked at the other end.Referee Friend did point to the spot on the half-hour mark after Timothy Fosu-Mensah brought down Kane, only for the official to quickly change his decision with the linesman's flag correctly raised for offside.
For all Tottenham's domination, Palace could have snatched the lead when Andros Townsend broke clear of his marker just prior to half-time, but the winger failed to generate enough power on his effort to beat Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham continued on the front foot after the restart, and Eriksen should have done better with a close-range effort five minutes into the second half, but it was Kane who wasted the best opportunity of the game soon after.Aurier and Eriksen combined superbly to tee up the England striker, who - despite being unmarked - somehow failed to convert from five yards out.
Former Paris-Saint Germain defender Aurier was the next to try his luck, forcing Hennessey into a fine save with a venomous strike.The Ivory Coast international was involved at the other end shortly after, doing brilliantly to deny Alexander Sorloth.
Lucas Moura was soon introduced for his Premier League debut as Pochettino pushed for a winner - Hennessey getting down low to prevent Davies' strike finding the bottom-left corner.A late injury to Tomkins made things even more difficult for Palace, with Aurier failing to tuck home into an open goal before Kane shot just wide.
But Tottenham finally got the goal their performance warranted as Kane leapt high above his markers to connect with Eriksen's delightful cross and break Palace's resolve, as Pochettino's side moved up, temporarily at least, into the top four.
Harry Kane netted his 150th goal in club football as a late header claimed a vital 1-0 victory for Tottenham against Crystal Palace, handing a hammer blow to the Eagles' bid for Premier League survival in the process.
Having missed a gilt-edged opportunity earlier in the second half, Kane made amends in the 88th minute of Sunday's clash at Selhurst Park, powering home a brilliant header from Christian Eriksen's corner.Mauricio Pochettino's side had dominated throughout, but often struggled to break down Palace's stubborn defence.
Eriksen did manage to carve out an opening in the 54th minute, only for Kane to volley wide from inside the six-yard box.It was Kane's second big opportunity of the game, with Wayne Hennessey having pulled off an excellent stop to deny the Premier League's leading scorer early on.
Palace's injury woes were compounded late on when defender James Tomkins went down in innocuous fashion, and his absence was felt when Kane finally headed home the winner with the final whistle fast approaching.
Palace were fortunate not to concede a penalty inside eight minutes - Hennessey's indecision almost proving costly when he brought down Ben Davies, but Kevin Friend waved play on.
Hennessey atoned moments later, though, rushing out to deny Kane following Patrick van Aanholt's poor clearance, before James McArthur saw a goal-bound strike blocked at the other end.Referee Friend did point to the spot on the half-hour mark after Timothy Fosu-Mensah brought down Kane, only for the official to quickly change his decision with the linesman's flag correctly raised for offside.
For all Tottenham's domination, Palace could have snatched the lead when Andros Townsend broke clear of his marker just prior to half-time, but the winger failed to generate enough power on his effort to beat Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham continued on the front foot after the restart, and Eriksen should have done better with a close-range effort five minutes into the second half, but it was Kane who wasted the best opportunity of the game soon after.Aurier and Eriksen combined superbly to tee up the England striker, who - despite being unmarked - somehow failed to convert from five yards out.
Former Paris-Saint Germain defender Aurier was the next to try his luck, forcing Hennessey into a fine save with a venomous strike.The Ivory Coast international was involved at the other end shortly after, doing brilliantly to deny Alexander Sorloth.
Lucas Moura was soon introduced for his Premier League debut as Pochettino pushed for a winner - Hennessey getting down low to prevent Davies' strike finding the bottom-left corner.A late injury to Tomkins made things even more difficult for Palace, with Aurier failing to tuck home into an open goal before Kane shot just wide.
But Tottenham finally got the goal their performance warranted as Kane leapt high above his markers to connect with Eriksen's delightful cross and break Palace's resolve, as Pochettino's side moved up, temporarily at least, into the top four.
Romelu Lukaku insists he has not been affected by the criticism he has received during his first season at Manchester United after inspiring the Red Devils to a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Chelsea.
The Belgium striker scored his first goal against a top-eight club for United with a composed finish following a fine move involving Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial to cancel out Willian's driven opener at Old Trafford.Lukaku then provided the assist for Jesse Lingard to head home and seal a big three points for Jose Mourinho's men as they returned to the second place standing they have held for much of the Premier League season.
Despite now having 22 goals across all competitions this term, there have been question marks over Lukaku's ability to contribute in big games, but the former Everton striker has never lost belief."Not really," Lukaku said when asked if the criticism played on his mind, in quotes reported by BBC Sport.
"I always work hard, so to get the three points is great for us."We had to work really hard for that win, we were well prepared and we did our best today."At the end of the day I just want to work hard for the team, and if I improve I'm really satisfied."
Team-mate Scott McTominay was again trusted by Mourinho in the centre of United's midfield and the 21-year-old recovered from failing to track Willian's run for Chelsea's opener to put in another effective performance.Asked about his run in the team, McTominay said: "I'm fearless, and I just want to get on the pitch as much as I can now.
"They've got brilliant players all over the pitch but I think everyone of us put in a massive shift today."When we went behind, we had to chase the game a bit. But in the second half we were completely in control.
"I'm really enjoying my football at the moment, it's great to be playing in the Premier League and the Champions League regularly, but at the end of the day it's a really good three points for the team."
Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3: Guardiola thrashes Wenger for first English trophy
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City reign landed its first tangible reward on Sunday as the Premier League champions-elect thrashed Arsenal 3-0 at Wembley to win the EFL Cup.Although a clean sweep of trophies is off the table following the FA Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic, Guardiola has already improved on last season's lack of silverware, with one trophy now secured and the league title sure to follow.
Whether or not the Champions League makes it three, City have taken on a dominant air this term, and it showed at the national stadium.Arsene Wenger sprung a surprise in his selection, opting for a three-man defensive system which had stymied City at Wembley in last season's FA Cup semi-final victory.
But it backfired spectacularly with Arsenal all at sea to allow Sergio Aguero to score for a fifth meeting in a row, the Argentine bringing up 30 goals for the season with a glorious goal assisted by the much-maligned Claudio Bravo.City stalwarts Vincent Kompany and David Silva also netted in the second half as Guardiola's men went through the gears and the Gunners had no response.
Wenger has now lost all three of his finals in this competition and the disquiet over the Frenchman's reign in north London is sure to return.
The Gunners set out to counter and should have gone ahead when Jack Wilshere charged through the middle before feeding Mesut Ozil in the right channel and the German's excellent centre gave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a gilt-edged chance that Kyle Walker's lunge and the legs of Bravo combined to snuff out.As unexpected as that save was, astonishingly the Chilean's next contribution was to set up the opening goal as City began to dominate.
What looked a rudimentary punt upfield turned into a slide-rule pass as Aguero nudged Shkodran Mustafi out of the way - the German opting to complain to Craig Pawson rather than chase his man - before closing on an advancing David Opsina and sending a delicate lob over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Wenger was soon forced into a change as Sead Kolasinac replaced Nacho Monreal, with the Arsenal response amounting to an Aaron Ramsey free-kick straight at Bravo and a chance for Aubameyang that the covering Kompany extinguished with a minimum of fuss.
Arsenal were once again in Pawson's ear when Fernandinho, having already being booked, clattered Wilshere to no sanction, but the Brazilian pulled a hamstring early in the second half and Bernardo Silva replaced him, with Guardiola tiring of throttling back to protect against the counter.Bravo was certainly at full pelt as he charged out to close down Aubameyang, and the striker should have done more to punish the goalkeeper's wild air kick than pull him to the ground and concede a free-kick.
But City were soon out of sight, Kompany extending their lead with an instinctive finish before setting off on a limb-flailing celebration as years of injury misery were given a golden full stop.Six minutes later City were celebrating again as Arsenal began to wilt, Silva turning sharply away from Hector Bellerin and lashing low past the helpless Ospina.
There was no further damage, but the inquest for Wenger will begin on Thursday at the Emirates Stadium, where there will be little time to ponder, as Guardiola and City visit with the intention of restoring their 16-point Premier League lead in mind.
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City reign landed its first tangible reward on Sunday as the Premier League champions-elect thrashed Arsenal 3-0 at Wembley to win the EFL Cup.Although a clean sweep of trophies is off the table following the FA Cup defeat at Wigan Athletic, Guardiola has already improved on last season's lack of silverware, with one trophy now secured and the league title sure to follow.
Whether or not the Champions League makes it three, City have taken on a dominant air this term, and it showed at the national stadium.Arsene Wenger sprung a surprise in his selection, opting for a three-man defensive system which had stymied City at Wembley in last season's FA Cup semi-final victory.
But it backfired spectacularly with Arsenal all at sea to allow Sergio Aguero to score for a fifth meeting in a row, the Argentine bringing up 30 goals for the season with a glorious goal assisted by the much-maligned Claudio Bravo.City stalwarts Vincent Kompany and David Silva also netted in the second half as Guardiola's men went through the gears and the Gunners had no response.
Wenger has now lost all three of his finals in this competition and the disquiet over the Frenchman's reign in north London is sure to return.
The Gunners set out to counter and should have gone ahead when Jack Wilshere charged through the middle before feeding Mesut Ozil in the right channel and the German's excellent centre gave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a gilt-edged chance that Kyle Walker's lunge and the legs of Bravo combined to snuff out.As unexpected as that save was, astonishingly the Chilean's next contribution was to set up the opening goal as City began to dominate.
What looked a rudimentary punt upfield turned into a slide-rule pass as Aguero nudged Shkodran Mustafi out of the way - the German opting to complain to Craig Pawson rather than chase his man - before closing on an advancing David Opsina and sending a delicate lob over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Wenger was soon forced into a change as Sead Kolasinac replaced Nacho Monreal, with the Arsenal response amounting to an Aaron Ramsey free-kick straight at Bravo and a chance for Aubameyang that the covering Kompany extinguished with a minimum of fuss.
Arsenal were once again in Pawson's ear when Fernandinho, having already being booked, clattered Wilshere to no sanction, but the Brazilian pulled a hamstring early in the second half and Bernardo Silva replaced him, with Guardiola tiring of throttling back to protect against the counter.Bravo was certainly at full pelt as he charged out to close down Aubameyang, and the striker should have done more to punish the goalkeeper's wild air kick than pull him to the ground and concede a free-kick.
But City were soon out of sight, Kompany extending their lead with an instinctive finish before setting off on a limb-flailing celebration as years of injury misery were given a golden full stop.Six minutes later City were celebrating again as Arsenal began to wilt, Silva turning sharply away from Hector Bellerin and lashing low past the helpless Ospina.
There was no further damage, but the inquest for Wenger will begin on Thursday at the Emirates Stadium, where there will be little time to ponder, as Guardiola and City visit with the intention of restoring their 16-point Premier League lead in mind.
Besiktas vs Fenerbache
patta match eka meka. Highlights balanna. mewage matches thamai football kiyanne. Not the bullshit the prem league playing these days.
Iye Man UTD vs Chelsea match eka baluwa ninda yannath giya. Man Utd play very boring football even though they get marginal victories.
I mean look at this match. End to end footie. Quaresma is a joy to watch
https://highlightsfootball.com/video/besiktas-vs-fenerbahce-highlights-2/
patta match eka meka. Highlights balanna. mewage matches thamai football kiyanne. Not the bullshit the prem league playing these days.
Iye Man UTD vs Chelsea match eka baluwa ninda yannath giya. Man Utd play very boring football even though they get marginal victories.
I mean look at this match. End to end footie. Quaresma is a joy to watch
https://highlightsfootball.com/video/besiktas-vs-fenerbahce-highlights-2/
Bouna Sarr was involved in a challenge with Neymar that left the Brazilian in tears, but the Marseille man denied intent.
Neymar's suspected ankle injury was sustained entirely accidentally, says Marseille's Bouna Sarr, who challenged the Brazilian before he left the field on a stretcher.
Paris Saint-Germain led Le Classique 3-0 in on Sunday, with Neymar having set up Edinson Cavani after 55 minutes to wrap up the victory after Kylian Mbappe's opener and a Rolando own goal.
But with PSG coach Unai Emery having already used all three substitutes, Neymar was hurt in a collision with Sarr in the closing stages at the Parc des Princes.
The pair challenged for the ball in the air and the PSG forward appeared to damage his right ankle when he landed awkwardly.
PSG head coach Unai Emery said he is optimistic about Neymar recovering from his twisted ankle in time to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on March 6.
But captain Thiago Silva told Canal+ he does not expect his compatriot to be fit to take on Marseille again in Wednesday's Coupe de France quarter-final.
Neymar was hit by a heavy challenge by Florian Thauvin early in Sunday's clash and the 26-year-old was seemingly targeted by Marseille, having been fouled eight times over the course of the game.
Sarr, however, claimed he was not at fault in the incident, which left Neymar in tears as he was carried from the pitch on a stretcher.
"Neymar? Me, I saw only one thing is that I played the ball," Sarr told reporters post-match.
"I didn't go at all with the intention of doing it. This is not my type of game at all.
"Apparently he twisted his ankle. It's unfortunate for him, but it's a game fact like any other."
Neymar's suspected ankle injury was sustained entirely accidentally, says Marseille's Bouna Sarr, who challenged the Brazilian before he left the field on a stretcher.
Paris Saint-Germain led Le Classique 3-0 in on Sunday, with Neymar having set up Edinson Cavani after 55 minutes to wrap up the victory after Kylian Mbappe's opener and a Rolando own goal.
But with PSG coach Unai Emery having already used all three substitutes, Neymar was hurt in a collision with Sarr in the closing stages at the Parc des Princes.
The pair challenged for the ball in the air and the PSG forward appeared to damage his right ankle when he landed awkwardly.
PSG head coach Unai Emery said he is optimistic about Neymar recovering from his twisted ankle in time to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on March 6.
But captain Thiago Silva told Canal+ he does not expect his compatriot to be fit to take on Marseille again in Wednesday's Coupe de France quarter-final.
Neymar was hit by a heavy challenge by Florian Thauvin early in Sunday's clash and the 26-year-old was seemingly targeted by Marseille, having been fouled eight times over the course of the game.
Sarr, however, claimed he was not at fault in the incident, which left Neymar in tears as he was carried from the pitch on a stretcher.
"Neymar? Me, I saw only one thing is that I played the ball," Sarr told reporters post-match.
"I didn't go at all with the intention of doing it. This is not my type of game at all.
"Apparently he twisted his ankle. It's unfortunate for him, but it's a game fact like any other."
AC Milan's fine form in Serie A continued as a superb second-half display saw off an out-of-sorts Roma.
AC Milan stretched their unbeaten run in Serie A to eight games as Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria sealed a 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
Gennaro Gattuso's side were second best during a poor first half but came out for the second period rejuvenated and secured all three points thanks to their young stars.
Their more adventurous approach bore fruit after 48 minutes when Cutrone got a delicate touch to Suso's cross, which flashed past Alisson.
Milan had further chances to add a second before the unlikely figure of Calabria added gloss to the scoreline with a composed finish in the 74th minute.
The win sets Milan up perfectly for a big week, which sees them face Lazio in a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg on Wednesday before a crunch derby with Inter four days later.
Roma, meanwhile, will need to pick themselves up quickly after a second consecutive defeat ahead of a daunting trip to Napoli next weekend.
Roma started with a spring in their step and tested Gianluigi Donnarumma - celebrating his 19th birthday - twice inside the opening 10 minutes through Cengiz Under and Diego Perotti.
Milan soon settled, however, and largely kept their hosts at arm's length for large swathes of the first half.
When Roma did threaten, Lorenzo Pellegrini was at the heart of it. The 21-year-old midfielder had a penalty appeal waved away before flashing a shot wide of Donnarumma’s right-hand post as the half ended goalless.
In stark contrast to their tepid first-half display, Milan started the second period with verve and swagger and were rewarded with the opening goal after just three minutes.
Cutrone found Suso on the right and then stormed into the box to meet the Spaniard's teasing cross with an impudent flick past Alisson for his sixth Serie A goal of the season.
Perotti then drilled a long-range effort just wide as Roma attempted to restore parity, while Alisson had to be alert to parry over Franck Kessie's powerful drive as Milan looked to double their advantage.
The shackles were well and truly off Milan’s players after Cutrone's goal and Hakan Calhanoglu should have at least tested Alisson with a low drive just before the hour, instead dragging it wide.
Substitute Nikola Kalinic should have wrapped it up with 20 minutes remaining but was denied by a smart one-handed save from Alisson.
The Croatian made up it for it soon after, though, playing in the marauding Calabria who coolly clipped over the onrushing Roma goalkeeper for his first ever Serie A goal.
Roma rarely looked like clawing their way back into the game in the closing stages as Milan - who could have had a third late on through Fabio Borini - comfortably held firm to register a memorable win.
Key Opta Facts:
- AC Milan have won an away league match against Roma for the first time since October 2011.
- Patrick Cutrone has scored four goals in his last four Serie A games. His strike on Sunday was Milan's first shot on target of the match.
- Davide Calabria has scored his first goal for AC Milan (42 apps in all competitions).
Besiktas vs Fenerbache
patta match eka meka. Highlights balanna. mewage matches thamai football kiyanne. Not the bullshit the prem league playing these days.
Iye Man UTD vs Chelsea match eka baluwa ninda yannath giya. Man Utd play very boring football even though they get marginal victories.
I mean look at this match. End to end footie. Quaresma is a joy to watch
https://highlightsfootball.com/video/besiktas-vs-fenerbahce-highlights-2/
This is beautiful 
Besiktas vs Fenerbache
patta match eka meka. Highlights balanna. mewage matches thamai football kiyanne. Not the bullshit the prem league playing these days.
Iye Man UTD vs Chelsea match eka baluwa ninda yannath giya. Man Utd play very boring football even though they get marginal victories.
I mean look at this match. End to end footie. Quaresma is a joy to watch
https://highlightsfootball.com/video/besiktas-vs-fenerbahce-highlights-2/
Roma 0 AC Milan 2: Cutrone and Calabria secure superb win for Rossoneri
AC Milan stretched their unbeaten run in Serie A to eight games as Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria sealed a 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.Gennaro Gattuso's side were second best during a poor first half but came out for the second period rejuvenated and secured all three points thanks to their young stars.
Their more adventurous approach bore fruit after 48 minutes when Cutrone got a delicate touch to Suso's cross, which flashed past Alisson.Milan had further chances to add a second before the unlikely figure of Calabria added gloss to the scoreline with a composed finish in the 74th minute.
The win sets Milan up perfectly for a big week, which sees them face Lazio in a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg on Wednesday before a crunch derby with Inter four days later.
Roma, meanwhile, will need to pick themselves up quickly after a second consecutive defeat ahead of a daunting trip to Napoli next weekend.
Roma started with a spring in their step and tested Gianluigi Donnarumma - celebrating his 19th birthday - twice inside the opening 10 minutes through Cengiz Under and Diego Perotti. Milan soon settled, however, and largely kept their hosts at arm's length for large swathes of the first half.
When Roma did threaten, Lorenzo Pellegrini was at the heart of it. The 21-year-old midfielder had a penalty appeal waved away before flashing a shot wide of Donnarumma’s right-hand post as the half ended goalless.
In stark contrast to their tepid first-half display, Milan started the second period with verve and swagger and were rewarded with the opening goal after just three minutes.
Cutrone found Suso on the right and then stormed into the box to meet the Spaniard's teasing cross with an impudent flick past Alisson for his sixth Serie A goal of the season.
Perotti then drilled a long-range effort just wide as Roma attempted to restore parity, while Alisson had to be alert to parry over Franck Kessie's powerful drive as Milan looked to double their advantage.The shackles were well and truly off Milan’s players after Cutrone's goal and Hakan Calhanoglu should have at least tested Alisson with a low drive just before the hour, instead dragging it wide.
Substitute Nikola Kalinic should have wrapped it up with 20 minutes remaining but was denied by a smart one-handed save from Alisson.The Croatian made up it for it soon after, though, playing in the marauding Calabria who coolly clipped over the onrushing Roma goalkeeper for his first ever Serie A goal.
Roma rarely looked like clawing their way back into the game in the closing stages as Milan - who could have had a third late on through Fabio Borini - comfortably held firm to register a memorable win.
AC Milan stretched their unbeaten run in Serie A to eight games as Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria sealed a 2-0 win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.Gennaro Gattuso's side were second best during a poor first half but came out for the second period rejuvenated and secured all three points thanks to their young stars.
Their more adventurous approach bore fruit after 48 minutes when Cutrone got a delicate touch to Suso's cross, which flashed past Alisson.Milan had further chances to add a second before the unlikely figure of Calabria added gloss to the scoreline with a composed finish in the 74th minute.
The win sets Milan up perfectly for a big week, which sees them face Lazio in a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg on Wednesday before a crunch derby with Inter four days later.
Roma, meanwhile, will need to pick themselves up quickly after a second consecutive defeat ahead of a daunting trip to Napoli next weekend.
Roma started with a spring in their step and tested Gianluigi Donnarumma - celebrating his 19th birthday - twice inside the opening 10 minutes through Cengiz Under and Diego Perotti. Milan soon settled, however, and largely kept their hosts at arm's length for large swathes of the first half.
When Roma did threaten, Lorenzo Pellegrini was at the heart of it. The 21-year-old midfielder had a penalty appeal waved away before flashing a shot wide of Donnarumma’s right-hand post as the half ended goalless.
In stark contrast to their tepid first-half display, Milan started the second period with verve and swagger and were rewarded with the opening goal after just three minutes.
Cutrone found Suso on the right and then stormed into the box to meet the Spaniard's teasing cross with an impudent flick past Alisson for his sixth Serie A goal of the season.
Perotti then drilled a long-range effort just wide as Roma attempted to restore parity, while Alisson had to be alert to parry over Franck Kessie's powerful drive as Milan looked to double their advantage.The shackles were well and truly off Milan’s players after Cutrone's goal and Hakan Calhanoglu should have at least tested Alisson with a low drive just before the hour, instead dragging it wide.
Substitute Nikola Kalinic should have wrapped it up with 20 minutes remaining but was denied by a smart one-handed save from Alisson.The Croatian made up it for it soon after, though, playing in the marauding Calabria who coolly clipped over the onrushing Roma goalkeeper for his first ever Serie A goal.
Roma rarely looked like clawing their way back into the game in the closing stages as Milan - who could have had a third late on through Fabio Borini - comfortably held firm to register a memorable win.
Paris Saint-Germain 3 Marseille 0: Neymar injured in easy Classique win
Neymar was carried off on a stretcher as Kylian Mbappe became the youngest goalscorer in Le Classique history, with the teenager on target in an easy 3-0 Ligue 1 win for Paris Saint-Germain against rivals Marseille.
PSG needed an injury-time free-kick from Edinson Cavani to claim a draw in the reverse fixture - in which Neymar was sent off - but there was no such drama at the Parc des Princes on Sunday until the Brazilian suffered a suspected ankle injury in the closing stages.
Unai Emery's men, who have won all 14 of their home league games this season, move 14 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 as a result of their victory, with Marseille remaining third.Mbappe gave PSG an early lead, capitalising on left-back Jordan Amavi losing his footing to run on to a Dani Alves pass and slot in a well-taken finish.
Rolando's own goal doubled PSG's lead 17 minutes later, the defender only able to turn Neymar's effort past goalkeeper Yohann Pele with Cavani lurking behind him.Neymar was a doubt for the game due to illness but he set up Cavani for a brilliant third after half-time to ensure PSG have a hand on the Ligue 1 trophy with 11 games still to play.
Marseille will have an immediate chance to earn revenge in Wednesday's Coupe de France quarter-final, however, with Neymar's participation in that tie questionable after he appeared to roll his right ankle.
Marseille were in front twice in a 2-2 draw in Le Classique earlier in the season but PSG took the lead in the 10th minute.Alves played a throughball into the box for Mbappe, with a slip by Amavi allowing the teenager to collect the pass and send Pele the wrong way with a smart low shot.
Neymar got above Hiroki Sakai to head wide before Lucas Ocampos was fortunate only to be shown a yellow card for a bad late tackle on Alves.PSG were dominant and their second arrived after 26 minutes, Rolando scoring an own goal.Adrien Rabiot combined with Layvin Kurzawa on the left and although Neymar's first-time shot was heading wide of the far post, Rolando had to try to clear with Cavani ready to tap in, but the defender could only divert the ball beyond Pele.
Neymar bent a superb strike narrowly wide and Marseille coach Rudi Garcia hauled Ocampos off before the break, bringing on Morgan Sanson in a bid to give Marseille a foothold.
PSG continued to control the match after the interval, though, with Cavani wrapping up the points after 55 minutes.Neymar's dazzling run and cross created the opportunity for Cavani, who took a sublime first touch, held off and turned Rolando and smashed home an unstoppable finish to score in his third successive Classique appearance.
Rolando almost made amends for his own goal, but Alphonse Areola turned his looping header around the post. With an eye on next month's Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Emery was able to rest Mbappe and former Marseille midfielder Lassana Diarra.
But there was bad news as Neymar damaged his ankle in an innocuous challenge with Bouna Sarr, the Brazilian tearful as he left the field on a stretcher.
Neymar was carried off on a stretcher as Kylian Mbappe became the youngest goalscorer in Le Classique history, with the teenager on target in an easy 3-0 Ligue 1 win for Paris Saint-Germain against rivals Marseille.
PSG needed an injury-time free-kick from Edinson Cavani to claim a draw in the reverse fixture - in which Neymar was sent off - but there was no such drama at the Parc des Princes on Sunday until the Brazilian suffered a suspected ankle injury in the closing stages.
Unai Emery's men, who have won all 14 of their home league games this season, move 14 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 as a result of their victory, with Marseille remaining third.Mbappe gave PSG an early lead, capitalising on left-back Jordan Amavi losing his footing to run on to a Dani Alves pass and slot in a well-taken finish.
Rolando's own goal doubled PSG's lead 17 minutes later, the defender only able to turn Neymar's effort past goalkeeper Yohann Pele with Cavani lurking behind him.Neymar was a doubt for the game due to illness but he set up Cavani for a brilliant third after half-time to ensure PSG have a hand on the Ligue 1 trophy with 11 games still to play.
Marseille will have an immediate chance to earn revenge in Wednesday's Coupe de France quarter-final, however, with Neymar's participation in that tie questionable after he appeared to roll his right ankle.
Marseille were in front twice in a 2-2 draw in Le Classique earlier in the season but PSG took the lead in the 10th minute.Alves played a throughball into the box for Mbappe, with a slip by Amavi allowing the teenager to collect the pass and send Pele the wrong way with a smart low shot.
Neymar got above Hiroki Sakai to head wide before Lucas Ocampos was fortunate only to be shown a yellow card for a bad late tackle on Alves.PSG were dominant and their second arrived after 26 minutes, Rolando scoring an own goal.Adrien Rabiot combined with Layvin Kurzawa on the left and although Neymar's first-time shot was heading wide of the far post, Rolando had to try to clear with Cavani ready to tap in, but the defender could only divert the ball beyond Pele.
Neymar bent a superb strike narrowly wide and Marseille coach Rudi Garcia hauled Ocampos off before the break, bringing on Morgan Sanson in a bid to give Marseille a foothold.
PSG continued to control the match after the interval, though, with Cavani wrapping up the points after 55 minutes.Neymar's dazzling run and cross created the opportunity for Cavani, who took a sublime first touch, held off and turned Rolando and smashed home an unstoppable finish to score in his third successive Classique appearance.
Rolando almost made amends for his own goal, but Alphonse Areola turned his looping header around the post. With an eye on next month's Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Emery was able to rest Mbappe and former Marseille midfielder Lassana Diarra.
But there was bad news as Neymar damaged his ankle in an innocuous challenge with Bouna Sarr, the Brazilian tearful as he left the field on a stretcher.
Sevilla 2 Atletico Madrid 5: Griezmann hat-trick sinks sorry hosts
Antoine Griezmann scored a brilliant hat-trick and Diego Costa celebrated his 100th LaLiga appearance for Atletico Madrid with a goal as Sevilla were battered 5-2 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
In one of LaLiga's more testy historical rivalries, it was Diego Simeone's men that turned on the style to earn revenge for a Copa del Rey quarter-final defeat in January.
Griezmann and Costa were in typically lethal form, but Sevilla were on more than one occasion the architects of their own downfall and a moment of unwarranted generosity set the Atleti ball rolling.
Sergio Rico and Ever Banega conspired to play Sevilla into trouble, allowing Costa to celebrate a third Liga goal since re-joining from Chelsea.As comical as that goal was, the second was textbook brilliance from Griezmann, whose long-range curling strike three minutes before the break effectively ended the game as a contest given Atleti had conceded just nine LaLiga goals prior to this match.
Griezmann stroked home his second from the penalty spot after Rico felled Costa in the area, and more poor defending – this time from Gabriel Mercado – allowed the France star to tee up Koke for a simple fourth.
He rounded off his hat-trick late on after already hitting the post and, despite a late rally that saw Pablo Sarabia and Nolito add some respectability for Sevilla, Atleti earned a fifth straight league win, and seventh in eight games, to move within seven points of leaders Barcelona.
Atleti's normally watertight defence was carved open in just the third minute by Jesus Navas' throughball and Jan Oblak brilliantly denied Luis Muriel one-on-one
Sevilla – who lost Navas to a calf injury 15 minutes later – were undone by a moment of madness, though.
A minute after rightfully being booked for play acting following a tangle with Clement Lenglet, Costa pick-pocketed a dawdling Banega – who was played into trouble by Rico – and swiftly fired into the bottom-left corner.
Costa was denied a second by the legs of Rico but a moment of great individual skill from Griezmann doubled Atleti's lead.The France star picked up a loose ball and bent a 20-yard effort into the top-left corner on his weaker right foot.
Sevilla's hopes of an unlikely comeback were over six minutes after the break when Costa lifted the ball over Rico and was taken out by the home goalkeeper, leaving Griezmann to coolly stroke the resulting penalty into the bottom-right corner.Another woeful piece of defending stretched Atleti's lead. Mercado's careless backpass was seized on by Griezmann who, with the angle against him, had the wherewithal to backheel into the path of Koke to poke into the unguarded goal.
Griezmann then smashed an effort against the post but, after former Pizjuan stars Kevin Gameiro and Vitolo - whose move to Atleti led to Sevilla launching legal action – were greeted by a chorus of boos, he tapped in from Saul's sliding pass cross the face of goal to celebrate his third.
Sarabia converted Wissam Ben Yedder's pass from close range and Nolito brilliantly drilled through a crowded penalty area as Sevilla mounted a late rally, which included Sarabia seeing a penalty claim for a coming together with Oblak waved away, but it was too little too late for the hosts.
Antoine Griezmann scored a brilliant hat-trick and Diego Costa celebrated his 100th LaLiga appearance for Atletico Madrid with a goal as Sevilla were battered 5-2 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
In one of LaLiga's more testy historical rivalries, it was Diego Simeone's men that turned on the style to earn revenge for a Copa del Rey quarter-final defeat in January.
Griezmann and Costa were in typically lethal form, but Sevilla were on more than one occasion the architects of their own downfall and a moment of unwarranted generosity set the Atleti ball rolling.
Sergio Rico and Ever Banega conspired to play Sevilla into trouble, allowing Costa to celebrate a third Liga goal since re-joining from Chelsea.As comical as that goal was, the second was textbook brilliance from Griezmann, whose long-range curling strike three minutes before the break effectively ended the game as a contest given Atleti had conceded just nine LaLiga goals prior to this match.
Griezmann stroked home his second from the penalty spot after Rico felled Costa in the area, and more poor defending – this time from Gabriel Mercado – allowed the France star to tee up Koke for a simple fourth.
He rounded off his hat-trick late on after already hitting the post and, despite a late rally that saw Pablo Sarabia and Nolito add some respectability for Sevilla, Atleti earned a fifth straight league win, and seventh in eight games, to move within seven points of leaders Barcelona.
Atleti's normally watertight defence was carved open in just the third minute by Jesus Navas' throughball and Jan Oblak brilliantly denied Luis Muriel one-on-one
Sevilla – who lost Navas to a calf injury 15 minutes later – were undone by a moment of madness, though.
A minute after rightfully being booked for play acting following a tangle with Clement Lenglet, Costa pick-pocketed a dawdling Banega – who was played into trouble by Rico – and swiftly fired into the bottom-left corner.
Costa was denied a second by the legs of Rico but a moment of great individual skill from Griezmann doubled Atleti's lead.The France star picked up a loose ball and bent a 20-yard effort into the top-left corner on his weaker right foot.
Sevilla's hopes of an unlikely comeback were over six minutes after the break when Costa lifted the ball over Rico and was taken out by the home goalkeeper, leaving Griezmann to coolly stroke the resulting penalty into the bottom-right corner.Another woeful piece of defending stretched Atleti's lead. Mercado's careless backpass was seized on by Griezmann who, with the angle against him, had the wherewithal to backheel into the path of Koke to poke into the unguarded goal.
Griezmann then smashed an effort against the post but, after former Pizjuan stars Kevin Gameiro and Vitolo - whose move to Atleti led to Sevilla launching legal action – were greeted by a chorus of boos, he tapped in from Saul's sliding pass cross the face of goal to celebrate his third.
Sarabia converted Wissam Ben Yedder's pass from close range and Nolito brilliantly drilled through a crowded penalty area as Sevilla mounted a late rally, which included Sarabia seeing a penalty claim for a coming together with Oblak waved away, but it was too little too late for the hosts.
It'd be a dream - Arsenal legend Henry wants Gunners manager's job
Thierry Henry wants to be considered for the Arsenal manager's position once Arsene Wenger departs, calling it his "dream" job.
Arsenal lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, producing a poor display that is sure to increase the scrutiny on Wenger, especially with his team 10 points adrift of a top-four place in the Premier League and in danger of missing out on the Champions League for a second successive season.The Frenchman has faced frequent calls to end his near 22-year association with the north London club in recent times but has clung on to the manager's role despite the team being on a downward trajectory.
Sunday's defeat - courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva - means the Europa League is now their last chance of silverware this season.
Henry, who emerged as a world star under Wenger during his playing days at Arsenal, has been touted as a potential replacement when the 68-year-old does depart and admitted he would jump at the chance.
"It would be a dream for me," Henry told Sky Sports. "Interested [in the job]? Yes. Who wouldn't be? "But I can't talk about it because of the respect that I have for the man in charge still, and my job that I'm doing with Belgium right now."
Thierry Henry wants to be considered for the Arsenal manager's position once Arsene Wenger departs, calling it his "dream" job.
Arsenal lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, producing a poor display that is sure to increase the scrutiny on Wenger, especially with his team 10 points adrift of a top-four place in the Premier League and in danger of missing out on the Champions League for a second successive season.The Frenchman has faced frequent calls to end his near 22-year association with the north London club in recent times but has clung on to the manager's role despite the team being on a downward trajectory.
Sunday's defeat - courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva - means the Europa League is now their last chance of silverware this season.
Henry, who emerged as a world star under Wenger during his playing days at Arsenal, has been touted as a potential replacement when the 68-year-old does depart and admitted he would jump at the chance.
"It would be a dream for me," Henry told Sky Sports. "Interested [in the job]? Yes. Who wouldn't be? "But I can't talk about it because of the respect that I have for the man in charge still, and my job that I'm doing with Belgium right now."
No defence, no fight, no leaders - the same old story for Wenger in Wembley humiliation
It started so well and ended with young supporters in tears. Arsenal's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City presented an opportunity of winning silverware midway through the season, a trophy that Arsene Wenger has yet to get his hands on throughout his two decades at the club.
Quite simply, Arsenal weren't at the races for much of Sunday's showpiece Wembley match and the second-half performance bordered on embarrassing.Despite the Gunners starting impressively and looking composed on the ball, it took Sergio Aguero just 18 minutes to score the opening goal, latching on to a goal kick from Claudio Bravo which Shkodran Mustafi couldn't deal with.
Mustafi's decision to appeal what looked like a shove in the back from Aguero was one that cost him extra seconds in recovering from the mistake and drew criticism from his former Valencia coach Gary Neville, who labelled the German's defending as "pathetic".
Aguero has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and he terrorises the Gunners defenders every time he comes up against them. Mustafi wasn't the only culprit for the goal, though, with captain Laurent Koscielny ball watching and slow to react to Aguero's run.
The aged old quip of 'Arsenal lacking leaders' could not have rung more true at Wembley. They looked lost for ideas as Vincent Kompany struck City's second from the edge of the box, once again exposing Arsenal's defensive deficiencies and inability to assert themselves in games against elite opposition.
Koscielny may have been captain but there was certainly no visible leadership on the pitch from him. Only the fired up Jack Wilshere, who won four fouls in the match, looked like he wanted to take the game to City along with the returning Aaron Ramsey, who was impressive before City's dismantling of the defence.
Arsenal's team imbalance can be tracked back to the summer of 2015 when Petr Cech was the only player signed by Wenger despite the team clearly needing reinforcements across the pitch. The January arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund was an excellent piece of business but clearly not a priority for a team who leak goals on a week by week basis.
Per Mertesacker is set to retire at the end of the season, Koscielny is injury and error prone, Calum Chambers proved again that he is not good enough to play for a top Premier League side, and 20-year-old Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding undoubtedly need some time out on loan.
A solid spine is the cornerstone of any successful football team and that is something Arsenal don't have right now. City managed to overcome the Gunners through simple route one football on Sunday and that is damning on Wenger's management nous more than anything.
The Europa League remains Arsenal's only realistic chance of winning a trophy this season and with a trip to the San Siro against AC Milan awaiting them, Wenger's chances of salvaging a final year at the club are beginning to look slimmer with every match.
It started so well and ended with young supporters in tears. Arsenal's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City presented an opportunity of winning silverware midway through the season, a trophy that Arsene Wenger has yet to get his hands on throughout his two decades at the club.
Quite simply, Arsenal weren't at the races for much of Sunday's showpiece Wembley match and the second-half performance bordered on embarrassing.Despite the Gunners starting impressively and looking composed on the ball, it took Sergio Aguero just 18 minutes to score the opening goal, latching on to a goal kick from Claudio Bravo which Shkodran Mustafi couldn't deal with.
Mustafi's decision to appeal what looked like a shove in the back from Aguero was one that cost him extra seconds in recovering from the mistake and drew criticism from his former Valencia coach Gary Neville, who labelled the German's defending as "pathetic".
Aguero has scored in each of his past five games in all competitions against Arsenal and he terrorises the Gunners defenders every time he comes up against them. Mustafi wasn't the only culprit for the goal, though, with captain Laurent Koscielny ball watching and slow to react to Aguero's run.
The aged old quip of 'Arsenal lacking leaders' could not have rung more true at Wembley. They looked lost for ideas as Vincent Kompany struck City's second from the edge of the box, once again exposing Arsenal's defensive deficiencies and inability to assert themselves in games against elite opposition.
Koscielny may have been captain but there was certainly no visible leadership on the pitch from him. Only the fired up Jack Wilshere, who won four fouls in the match, looked like he wanted to take the game to City along with the returning Aaron Ramsey, who was impressive before City's dismantling of the defence.
Arsenal's team imbalance can be tracked back to the summer of 2015 when Petr Cech was the only player signed by Wenger despite the team clearly needing reinforcements across the pitch. The January arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund was an excellent piece of business but clearly not a priority for a team who leak goals on a week by week basis.
Per Mertesacker is set to retire at the end of the season, Koscielny is injury and error prone, Calum Chambers proved again that he is not good enough to play for a top Premier League side, and 20-year-old Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding undoubtedly need some time out on loan.
A solid spine is the cornerstone of any successful football team and that is something Arsenal don't have right now. City managed to overcome the Gunners through simple route one football on Sunday and that is damning on Wenger's management nous more than anything.
The Europa League remains Arsenal's only realistic chance of winning a trophy this season and with a trip to the San Siro against AC Milan awaiting them, Wenger's chances of salvaging a final year at the club are beginning to look slimmer with every match.
Mourinho hails Lukaku display against old club Chelsea
Jose Mourinho hailed the performance of striker Romelu Lukaku after he scored one and created the other in a 2-1 Premier League win against former club Chelsea on Sunday.After Willian gave the Blues the lead at Old Trafford, Lukaku hauled United level by slotting in from close range after good combination play from Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial.
Lukaku then crossed for substitute Jesse Lingard to head in the winner for United, capping an all-action display with a powerful driving run to release pressure in added time.
While the goal was Lukaku's first against a top-eight Premier League club this season, it took him to 22 strikes in all competitions since joining United from Everton and Mourinho highlighted the Belgium international's performance."He played fantastically well. At first he didn't find the right timing and lost the ball at times," Mourinho told a post-match news conference.
"But then he went together with the team and finished the game and people go home with the image of the run where he could have gone and got a goal. It was important for us to open the gap." United cut the advantage rivals Manchester City hold at the top of the Premier League table to 13 points, with Mourinho's men now six clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the battle for Champions League qualification.
And although United conceded the first goal, Mourinho felt his side delivered a high-class performance against his old employers, where the Portuguese won three Premier League titles across two spells at Stamford Bridge."We want always the perfection. We are always the best when we have the pen and paper, but sometimes on the pitch it was different," Mourinho said.
"The work of Scott [McTominay] and [Nemanja] Matic was exceptional. We needed Paul [Pogba] and Alexis [Sanchez] to give us some balance in front of them. The players needed some time to adapt but I am really happy because from then they were intelligent."They understood the change of Lingard and [Eric] Bailly, when they brought on [Olivier] Giroud. I am very happy and a great attitude as well. We have four important matches at home and today was a good start.
"You can only win against the top teams with that humble attitude. It can happen, the attitude has to be really special and the players showed that."The beginning of the game was blue, we took some time to adapt to some new positions on the pitch, the players in the midfield took some time to press [N'Golo] Kante and [Danny] Drinkwater, but we found that balance. "In the second half we were solid, we didn't create a lot of chances as against Chelsea that is not possible."
Jose Mourinho hailed the performance of striker Romelu Lukaku after he scored one and created the other in a 2-1 Premier League win against former club Chelsea on Sunday.After Willian gave the Blues the lead at Old Trafford, Lukaku hauled United level by slotting in from close range after good combination play from Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial.
Lukaku then crossed for substitute Jesse Lingard to head in the winner for United, capping an all-action display with a powerful driving run to release pressure in added time.
While the goal was Lukaku's first against a top-eight Premier League club this season, it took him to 22 strikes in all competitions since joining United from Everton and Mourinho highlighted the Belgium international's performance."He played fantastically well. At first he didn't find the right timing and lost the ball at times," Mourinho told a post-match news conference.
"But then he went together with the team and finished the game and people go home with the image of the run where he could have gone and got a goal. It was important for us to open the gap." United cut the advantage rivals Manchester City hold at the top of the Premier League table to 13 points, with Mourinho's men now six clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the battle for Champions League qualification.
And although United conceded the first goal, Mourinho felt his side delivered a high-class performance against his old employers, where the Portuguese won three Premier League titles across two spells at Stamford Bridge."We want always the perfection. We are always the best when we have the pen and paper, but sometimes on the pitch it was different," Mourinho said.
"The work of Scott [McTominay] and [Nemanja] Matic was exceptional. We needed Paul [Pogba] and Alexis [Sanchez] to give us some balance in front of them. The players needed some time to adapt but I am really happy because from then they were intelligent."They understood the change of Lingard and [Eric] Bailly, when they brought on [Olivier] Giroud. I am very happy and a great attitude as well. We have four important matches at home and today was a good start.
"You can only win against the top teams with that humble attitude. It can happen, the attitude has to be really special and the players showed that."The beginning of the game was blue, we took some time to adapt to some new positions on the pitch, the players in the midfield took some time to press [N'Golo] Kante and [Danny] Drinkwater, but we found that balance. "In the second half we were solid, we didn't create a lot of chances as against Chelsea that is not possible."
Conte hints at unhappiness with Hazard work-rate in Man Utd loss
Antonio Conte hinted he was not happy with Eden Hazard's work-rate after substituting the Belgium star in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.
Hazard was brought off in the 74th minute of the contest at Old Trafford with the scores still locked at 1-1.
United scored the winner shortly after with Jesse Lingard heading home a cross from Romelu Lukaku, who added an assist to the goal he netted to cancel out Willian's opener.
Hazard had set up Willian for the Chelsea goal, but Conte suggested that his influential forward had failed to maintain his high standards in the second half and that his withdrawal was merely a tactical decision."No Hazard [is not injured], no," he told a news conference. "It was a tactical decision. "You have to keep the same performance for 90 minutes, we didn't have a great balance, and every single player has to try to work with the ball, without the ball, otherwise we lose our balance.
"I think he'd finished his energy because the first half he ran a lot. The second half he started the same way, but when I see a player is a bit tired, my task is to find a different solution."Conte opted to start with Alvaro Morata up front instead of going with Olivier Giroud or employing Hazard as a false nine as he did in the midweek Champions League draw against Barcelona.
The Spain striker hit the crossbar and had a goal harshly ruled out for offside, but Morata – who is without a league goal since December – again largely underwhelmed.Explaining his decision, Conte said: "He played for 90 minutes, like the other players they tried to put everything [in] and give their all."For sure he can improve. I can take different decisions game by game. I took this decision to find the balance."
Antonio Conte hinted he was not happy with Eden Hazard's work-rate after substituting the Belgium star in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.
Hazard was brought off in the 74th minute of the contest at Old Trafford with the scores still locked at 1-1.
United scored the winner shortly after with Jesse Lingard heading home a cross from Romelu Lukaku, who added an assist to the goal he netted to cancel out Willian's opener.
Hazard had set up Willian for the Chelsea goal, but Conte suggested that his influential forward had failed to maintain his high standards in the second half and that his withdrawal was merely a tactical decision."No Hazard [is not injured], no," he told a news conference. "It was a tactical decision. "You have to keep the same performance for 90 minutes, we didn't have a great balance, and every single player has to try to work with the ball, without the ball, otherwise we lose our balance.
"I think he'd finished his energy because the first half he ran a lot. The second half he started the same way, but when I see a player is a bit tired, my task is to find a different solution."Conte opted to start with Alvaro Morata up front instead of going with Olivier Giroud or employing Hazard as a false nine as he did in the midweek Champions League draw against Barcelona.
The Spain striker hit the crossbar and had a goal harshly ruled out for offside, but Morata – who is without a league goal since December – again largely underwhelmed.Explaining his decision, Conte said: "He played for 90 minutes, like the other players they tried to put everything [in] and give their all."For sure he can improve. I can take different decisions game by game. I took this decision to find the balance."
