Chelsea’s games against Manchester United rarely fail to entertain and speaking further about Sunday’s drawn cup-tie, John Mikel Obi highlighted a willingness to attack from both sides whenever we meet, as we shall do twice more before the end of the season.
The midfielder, introduced early in the second-half as the Blues players hit their stride, also outlined what it was like in the dressing room at half-time with the home side winning 2-0.
‘All the times we play Man United, and especially in cup games there are always goals, you have to go out and attack and that is what came out do in the second half, and it worked,’ he said.
‘If you look from last year this is the way we play, we have always been an attacking team with guys who like to move forward; players who like to have the ball and run forward, beat people and create chances, and that is exactly what we did second half.
‘It was just the manager,’ Mikel said of the half-time talk. ‘The manager said we have to go back out there and put things right.
‘There was no anger, we just had a normal chat, and we just found determination and it worked.
‘When Eden Hazard and I came on he told us to go out there and do our best and especially for me to try to keep my shape, and the shape of the team, and that is exactly what we did.’
The 25-year-old was asked if a series of poor results can affect the confidence of even top-level players and replied: ‘It does and sometimes it doesn’t help when the fans are not happy and when you give one ball away there is pressure.
‘This is our job, fans come to watch good football and we have responsibility to give them that and make sure we play well. Every game we try to do that and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
‘You could see on Sunday that the fans showed they are behind us. Our fans are great fans and they have always supported us.
‘I have been here seven years and they have been fantastic and have always supported us until the end and I hope that continues all throughout the season. This is when we need them most and let’s hope we can all go through the rest of this season together. I know they will continue to be great to us the players.’