PREMIER LEAGUE
Nemanja Matic holds the key in return to Bridge
London — Chelsea’s decision to sell Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic to Manchester United raised more than a few eyebrows and the consequences may be felt when the sides clash in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Matic left the London club after three-and-a-half years to rejoin former Chelsea manager José Mourinho at Old Trafford. He has played every minute in the league since, helping United to second place in the table. Mourinho’s capture of Matic is looking shrewder every week, prompting former United defender Phil Neville to say after Chelsea’s 3-0 Champions League drubbing at AS Roma this week that selling the Serb is the main reason Chelsea are struggling defensively. His absence from Chelsea’s midfield will be highlighted further should N’Golo Kante fail to recover from injury. If so, Chelsea will be without both members of the central midfield pairing that guided them to the title last season. In their place, Cesc Fabregas and Tiémoué Bakayoko bring attacking ...
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