Perhaps Chelsea’s personnel problems have been overstated. After all, their complaints about the schedule felt slightly overblown when Thomas Tuchel, looking for a way to settle this Carabao Cup quarter-final, turned to his bench with 14 minutes left and told N’Golo Kanté to get ready.
Was it more irresponsible behaviour from Tuchel? He had said he risked injuring Kanté by starting him when
Chelsea were short of numbers against Wolves last Sunday and everything had pointed to him giving the midfielder a breather before the European champions attempt to revive their faltering
Premier League challenge when they visit Aston Villa on
boxing Day.