LONDON: Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has criticised France’s handling of an injury that has ruled N’Golo Kante out of the Londoners’ Premier League clash at home to Newcastle United on Saturday. Lampard told reporters on Friday that midfielder Kante, who has had a stop-start season, was unavailable after returning from international duty. He had a small groin issue in the warm-up to the first international game with France and we didn’t get him back until after the second game,” he told reporters. “Kovacic had a knock on his thigh but has trained the last couple of days so he’s in contention,” said Lampard. Lampard expected a tough match against inconsistent visitors who were thrashed 5-0 by Leicester City but beat Manchester United 1-0 at home.

Source: New Strait Times October 19, 2019 06:11 UTC