Chelsea 2-3 Manchester United - di Matteo on responding to a bad result - Premier League 2012-13
- 10 years ago
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is out for two weeks with a calf injury suffered in the midweek defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Blues are without captain John Terry, who is banned for four matches.
Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa has been ruled out for up to four weeks with a knee problem
Defender Chris Smalling is back in training after recovering from a metatarsal injury, but Phil Jones and Anders Lindegaard are still out.
MATCH PREVIEW
Chelsea's excellent domestic start to the season was put into context rather sharply in Donetsk on Tuesday night when they looked anything but champions of Europe.
At the same time, Braga were giving Manchester United a much tougher night than anticipated. Nevertheless, both Chelsea and United have started the season more convincingly than the domestic champions, Manchester City.
Chelsea have certainly been the exceptional side in the Premier League so far, and United and City know that they cannot afford to just keep an eye on each other alone.
Thankfully the importance of this game should reduce to a sideshow the speculation about who may or may not shake whose hand beforehand. It must have been on John Terry's mind that in choosing not to appeal his four-game ban, he ruled himself out of this match and the forthcoming Capital One Cup tie against United. The timing is good - his divisive presence is the last thing either game needed.
In fact, one of Roberto Di Matteo's successful tricks has been to begin the process of easing both John Terry and Frank Lampard off the list of Chelsea untouchables without creating anything like the fuss that happened when Andre Villas-Boas tried the same thing a year ago.
I recall having a difference of opinion with Villas-Boas after this fixture last season. You may remember that United came from 3-0 down to draw. In the post-match interview I suggested that Chelsea had been lucky to be 3-0 up in the first place - AVB did not agree and a sparky exchange followed!
United are yet to p
The Blues are without captain John Terry, who is banned for four matches.
Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa has been ruled out for up to four weeks with a knee problem
Defender Chris Smalling is back in training after recovering from a metatarsal injury, but Phil Jones and Anders Lindegaard are still out.
MATCH PREVIEW
Chelsea's excellent domestic start to the season was put into context rather sharply in Donetsk on Tuesday night when they looked anything but champions of Europe.
At the same time, Braga were giving Manchester United a much tougher night than anticipated. Nevertheless, both Chelsea and United have started the season more convincingly than the domestic champions, Manchester City.
Chelsea have certainly been the exceptional side in the Premier League so far, and United and City know that they cannot afford to just keep an eye on each other alone.
Thankfully the importance of this game should reduce to a sideshow the speculation about who may or may not shake whose hand beforehand. It must have been on John Terry's mind that in choosing not to appeal his four-game ban, he ruled himself out of this match and the forthcoming Capital One Cup tie against United. The timing is good - his divisive presence is the last thing either game needed.
In fact, one of Roberto Di Matteo's successful tricks has been to begin the process of easing both John Terry and Frank Lampard off the list of Chelsea untouchables without creating anything like the fuss that happened when Andre Villas-Boas tried the same thing a year ago.
I recall having a difference of opinion with Villas-Boas after this fixture last season. You may remember that United came from 3-0 down to draw. In the post-match interview I suggested that Chelsea had been lucky to be 3-0 up in the first place - AVB did not agree and a sparky exchange followed!
United are yet to p