Graeme Souness: Chelsea really missed top 26-year-old, Cesc Fabregas needs him
The Liverpool legend highlights the importance of N'Golo Kante to defending Premier League champions Chelsea
Graeme Souness has highlighted N’Golo Kante’s importance to the Chelsea team following Sunday’s 1-0 win against Manchester United.
The France international made his return to Antonio Conte’s starting line-up at Stamford Bridge last weekend following a hamstring injury last month.
Kante incurred a problem during the most-recent international break and Chelsea conceded 13 goals in their last six games ahead of the visit of Manchester United.
The 26-year-old defensive midfielder partnered summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko and Spanish playmaker Cesc Fabregas in the middle of the park for the defending champions.
Kante won the Premier League title in his first season at Stamford Bridge 12 months after the France star helped Leicester City to get their hands on the top-flight crown.
Former Liverpool midfielder Souness believes Fabregas needs Kante to allow the Spanish midfielder to perform at his full potential.
“They’ve missed him a lot. He was outstanding in his first year here. They need legs in there,” Souness told Sky Sports.
“Cesc Fabregas’ talent is getting on the ball and playing cute and clever passes, it’s not trying to get the ball back for his team. He’s been sorely missed.”
Alvaro Morata scored a second-half goal to fire Chelsea to a 1-0 win against title rivals Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.
Kante moved to Chelsea in a £30m deal from Leicester City in the 2016 summer transfer window.
Chelsea have won the Premier League title in two of the past three seasons but the Blues are already nine points behind current leaders Manchester City.
