Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has reacted to Saturday night’s defeat to Manchester United, blaming it on injury as the Blues suffered four straight defeats in the Premier League, news.ng reports.
Both teams came into the match eyeing the maximum three points after losing their last league games, but at the end of the 90 minutes, it was Man United that got lucky after Matheus Cunha found the back of the net with a right-footed shot into the right corner from the centre of the box in the 43rd minute.
In his assessment, Chelsea boss Rosenior admitted it was a difficult result playing at home.
The former Strasbourg manager blamed their defeat on the fact that they were ten men down due to an injury to one of their key players, Estevao Willian, who played only fifteen minutes before he left the pitch.
‘It was a really difficult result to take,’ said Rosenior in his post-match press conference. ‘They’ve had one shot on our goal when we’re down to ten men because of an injury, and they score.
‘We have wave after wave of attack, put crosses in the box, and have moments that we don’t take advantage – we’ve hit the woodwork several times.”
Speaking further, Rosenior noted that his side played well, with more chances created, but in the end, it was United’s day.
”What we can’t do is fall into a cycle where we feel like it’s not going to be our day, or we feel sorry for ourselves because we have to keep working and turn this around.
”It doesn’t look like it at the moment, but the reality is Manchester United have come here, had one shot on our goal while we [momentarily] had ten men and won a game 1-0, which should be pretty much impossible,” he added.
Giving an update on Willian’s injury, the coach revealed a hamstring issue, with hope of the Brazilian returning soon.
”It looks like it’s his hamstring, and that has happened in a moment when he’s running through on their goal for a one-v-one chance – he pulls his hamstring in that moment. I hope Este comes back sooner rather than later,” he said.
Chelsea are currently sixth with 48 points as they prepare for a more challenging fixture against Brighton on Tuesday.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are third with 58 points.
