Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton thinks the absence of N’Golo Kante could lead to the Blues crashing out of the FA Cup against Manchester United.

Frank Lampard side’s defensive problems are well documented and Sutton believes that without the Frenchman, the team’s backline could be left exposed:

“N’Golo Kante has missed their last three matches because of a hamstring injury. He’s set to miss this semi-final, too, and you worry for Chelsea in midfield because of that.”

“Chelsea will want to plan for that, but this isn’t Jorginho’s forte. Nor is it Mateo Kovacic’s. This is a job for Kante, but he is not fit enough to play the part.”

It is a major concern going into the semi-final tie this evening. With Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes expected to play in advanced roles in order to supply the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, Chelsea’s midfield will need to be on its game.

However, Jorginho is struggling for form at the moment while Mateo Kovacic is not really similar to Kante in his style of player.

Both players are neat and tidy in possession and can cause problems for the opposition further up the pitch, but their defensive qualities are certainly not at the same level as their injured teammate. The lack of protection for the backline will be something that Lampard will be mindful of heading into the game tonight.