TVC E, SOCCER – Manchester United ‘s manager, Manuel Pellegrini must be blaming his decision to field inexperienced team against the angry Chelsea side.
Chelsea punished Manuel Pellegrini’s controversial decision to field a remarkably inexperienced team as Eden Hazard inspired a 5-1 demolition of Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.
With City due to make the long flight to the Ukraine on Monday ahead of their Champions League last 16 first leg tie at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, Pellegrini had pleaded with the FA not to bow to demands from television networks to move the Chelsea game from its original Saturday date.
But Pellegrini’s request was ignored and, concerned that injury-hit City were in danger of being stretched to breaking point, the Chilean boss prioritised European success and next weekend’s League Cup final against Liverpool, admitting that he didn’t consider the Stamford Bridge showdown “a real game”.
Pellegrini had warned fans they wouldn’t get value for money because he would rest stars like Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure and he was true to his word as he fielded an unrecognisable starting line-up featuring six teenagers, five of whom were making their full debuts.
Diego Costa put Chelsea ahead and, although David Faupala equalised for the visitors, second half goals from Willian, Gary Cahill, Hazard and Bertrand Traore handed City a third successive defeat.
Pellegrini will face accusations of disrespecting the FA Cup, but he won’t care about that if City can take a step towards the Champions League quarter-finals and win the League Cup this week.
