Whilst Hazard was performing better than he has all season, one of Chelsea’s other top stars, Diego Costa was dropped to the bench for the game and his reactions sitting on the sidelines didn’t make for a pretty picture as the striker appeared visibly displeased with his manager’s decision.
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‘I learn how to live without the happiness of winning matches, ‘ he said.
He added: “A top player going on the bench, they are not happy”.
Pochettino had complained about the possible effects on his players of making such a demanding journey just 72 hours beforehand, but still opted to retain eight of his mid-week starting XI in his line-up.
Writing in his BBC Sport column, he said: “With Costa, by dropping him for Sunday’s draw with Tottenham, Mourinho was trying to get a reaction”.
“I think Diego is privileged because he is last one on the bench”.
“Diego is very privileged because he was the last one to be on the bench”, Mourinho told reporters after the game. Mourinho will be grateful for a fourth Premier League clean sheet of the season, particularly in the absence of captain John Terry (ankle) and at a venue where Chelsea lost 5-3 on New Year’s Day.
“This is important. When we start losing, we all know it’s not about the one or two players playing badly or playing well”.
Former Tottenham manager Redknapp was extremely unimpressed with the Spaniard’s decision to forgo the pre-match formalities, exclaiming that “there would be murders” if a player had done a similar thing in a team he was in charge of.
Mourinho laughed off the Spain striker’s ill-temper, also stating that he understands why he was upset at not being involved in the London derby.
Stand-in skipper Ivanovic said: “I expect Diego to come back strongly”.
Liverpool moved within four points of Arsenal as Juergen Klopp earned his first league win at Anfield since replacing Brendan Rodgers as manager in early October.
“The game at White Hart Lane was the first time in a while that we didn’t have more possession than our opponents over the 90-minute period, but maybe that should be expected with them on such a good run as well as us playing away from home”.
He said: “I’ve never had a player who didn’t go out to warm up”.
ESPN FC’s Steve Nicol believes that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho must punish Costa in some way to maintain order at the club. “We will continue to work hard and continue to take pleasure from our game”.
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“Mentally I’m really strong and I try to do everything in these kind of games”.
