Chelsea boss Antonio Conte: This is how I rank N’Golo Kante and Man United star Paul Pogba
by March 12, 20170
By JACK STAPLEHURSTN
’GOLO KANTE and Paul Pogba are both “great players” at Chelsea and Manchester United – but it is almost impossible to compare them directly.
That is the view of Blues boss Antonio Conte. Chelsea’s holding midfielder Kante has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge this season following his summer arrival from Leicester.
The France international was a huge hit with the Foxes in their title-winning campaign and convinced Conte to make a £32million move.
Chelsea star N’Golo Kante & Manchester United ace Paul Pogba are international team-mates for France And that belief has been repaid massively with Kante favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year award for his contribution at Chelsea as they sit top of the table. Meanwhile, United brought in Kante’s international team-mate in midfield in the form of Pogba.
His return to Old Trafford cost United a world-record £89m, but the 23-year-old’s struggled to make as big an impact as Chelsea’s star man. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte insists N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are two very different midfielders
The two will go head-to-head on Monday night in west London when Jose Mourinho’s side travel to Chelsea for their FA Cup quarter-final (7.45pm). But while Conte recognises the talent of both, he insists their styles of play are very contrasting. “They are two different players with different characteristics,” Conte said.
“I think it’s very difficult to try and compare Paul with N’Golo, two players with different characteristics. Two great players, but different.” While Pogba’s performance could prove key to Monday’s result, Conte is aware of the threat ofManchester United’s entire unit. He added: “We are working to try to find the right solution for the whole team, not only for Paul Pogba. Not only for one player.
“It was the same against West Ham, when we played against Andy Carroll, and there were questions about whether we would try and stop him.”
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