The Bruno Fernandes trick Thomas Tuchel can repeat to stop Liverpool’s Mo Salah against Chelsea

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel managed to hatch a plan that stored Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes very quiet within the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

United rely closely on their talisman and greatest participant. If he doesn’t play properly then United invariably don’t both and that proved to be the case within the west London stalemate three days in the past.

There wasn’t actually something particular as to what Tuchel did to shackle the Portuguese star. N’Golo Kante simply adopted him round and stored his distance when United had the ball however with an eye fixed all the time on Fernandes.

When he obtained the ball, Kante was there to do what he does greatest – make the interception, get the ball again and recycle possession to get the Blues on the transfer as soon as once more.

Fernandes’ relentless cries of “come on guys!” to his teammates confirmed his frustration. “That is our likelihood” he additionally shouted late on with the sport deadlocked, imploring his teammates to strive one thing totally different reasonably than counting on him to make the distinction.

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Kante made seven tackles and 4 interceptions within the recreation on the weekend, most of them when he was surrounding Fernandes like an annoying wasp. The Frenchman was poor on the ball however that didn’t matter within the wider context of the sport, he stored Fernandes quiet and thus, United.

Fernandes has arguably earned the correct to look a bit spent having bailed out United on loads of events this season (he has been accountable for 47% of United’s whole attacking outlay this season with 25 purpose involvements, be that netting himself or bagging an help).

The large video games maintain coming thick and quick for Tuchel’s Blues as they go to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on Thursday night time and a complete new menace emerges within the Reds’ entrance three.

Whereas Roberto Firmino has been off type in current weeks, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are nonetheless two of the very best attackers within the division. The Reds have discovered some type as properly due to a cushty win over Sheffield United on the weekend which ended a run of 4 straight league defeats for the Champions.

It’s a brand new gameplan for Tuchel to plot. He has made Chelsea into a really robust defensive outfit, conceding simply two objectives in 9 video games since he took cost and considered one of them was Antonio Rudiger’s personal purpose at Bramall Lane.

Taking part in 5 defenders every match actually ought to see your staff enhance when it comes to objectives conceded. Andreas Christensen has completed an excellent job getting into the hole left by Thiago Silva when he sustained an damage towards Spurs early in Tuchel’s reign.

Antonio Rudiger has been considered one of Chelsea’s most improved gamers since Frank Lampard left, Cesar Azpiliceuta has continued to point out his capacity to play just about wherever by slotting in as a 3rd centre half, Callum Hudson-Odoi has emerged as a official possibility at proper wing again and Marcos Alonso has made a comeback worthy of Lazarus proportions.

However it is going to be Kante, if he performs, who will probably be tasked with protecting former Blue Salah quiet on Thursday, similar to he did with Fernandes.

Whereas Fernandes performs extra centrally than Salah does, who nearly completely performs off the correct and cuts in on his depraved left foot, Kante will double up with whoever is taking part in at left wing-back with the intention to stifle the Egyptian.

Ben Chilwell returned for the United recreation and didn’t do a lot improper however has recognised himself that he wanted to enhance and now has correct competitors for his place from Alonso. Chilwell’s defensive work might properly get him the nod at Anfield, it relies upon whether or not Tuchel needs to prioritise an attacking wing-back or one that may assist cease conceding objectives.

Kante had struggled for recreation time initially beneath Tuchel as he confirmed a choice for Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, with Kante initially injured when the German head coach arrived to exchange Lampard.

However in two begins towards Southampton and Man United, Kante has proven why he can nonetheless be Tuchel’s go to man to get a particular job completed. It gained’t be a lot of a shock to see him sticking on Salah at Anfield on Thursday.