Scolari admit blame in 3-0 defeat

Luiz Felipe Scolari has taken the blame for Chelsea’s loss at Manchester United on Sunday, but says they must now pull together if they are to bounce back. He admit, that he was wrong to open up the midfield at Old Trafford, and conceded his poor set-piece planning cost them in the 3-0 defeat. “It’s more my error than the players”. “Now I need to change systems and start from new. We need more to work together and when it is wrong we need more togetherness,” said Scolari. The damaging defeat left Chelsea four points adrift of league leaders Liverpool and only a point ahead of United, who have two games in hand over their title rivals.

Defending his tactics on Sunday, Scolari said: “I read that the press said that I opened the midfield against Manchester United – sure, this is the reality. I opened the midfield and I am responsible for us conceding the goals because I tried to change the result. (Losing) 1-0, 3-0 or 5-0 is the same to me. Other coaches try to say ‘no’. I say ‘yes, I am wrong’ – this is my style. But after one victory, or two or three, we will relax and win more. We just need more attention and more togetherness.”

Scolari’s men face a potentially tricky FA Cup third round replay against Southend on Wednesday, and the Brazilian admits that match has taken on extra significance. “Southend is the game of the year, we need to think the same way, he said. If our spirit is not the same as Southend’s, then it’s difficult, but if our spirit is the same then we have good chance because we have better players than Southend, but we need to prove it on the pitch.”