Chelsea beat Mourinho's 10-man United to reach Cup semis

LONDON - Chelsea manager Antonio Conte got the upper hand on Jose Mourinho for the second time this season as his double-chasing side beat 10-man Manchester United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Monday.

N'Golo Kante's precise 51st minute strike was enough for Conte's team to break United's hold on the Cup after the visitors had Ander Herrera sent off after 35 minutes for a second yellow card -- both for fouls on Eden Hazard.

Premier League leaders' Chelsea's reward is a Wembley clash with Tottenham Hotspur next month, while the other semi-final will be between Arsenal and Manchester City.

United, who face a Europa League last 16 tie on Thursday against Russian side Rostov, were missing the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic and injured Wayne Rooney and offered little threat once Kante had beaten David de Gea with a precise low shot.

Mourinho was spared the humiliation of the 4-0 thrashing his old club dished out in October's league meeting -- his first return to Stamford Bridge since being sacked last season -- but his United side were again found wanting.

Mourinho's frustration boiled over at times and the Portuguese and Italian Conte had to be separated after an angry exchange shortly after Herrera's sending off.

"The game was completely under control (before the red card)," Mourinho, whose players targeted Hazard for especially close attention, told reporters. "They couldn't find what is their game. I cannot be more proud of the players."

Chelsea, chasing the Premier League/FA Cup double they last achieved in 2010, dominated possession and could have scored more goals, though holders United had their moments.

LIVEWIRE HAZARD

Much was made of United's lack of striking options ahead of the game but Mourinho's somewhat depleted side started in confident fashion and Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired just wide in the 13th minute following a strong run by Rashford.

That escape sparked Chelsea into life though, particularly Hazard who was soon skipping his way past defenders to force De Gea into a great save from his deflected shot.

United's keeper then did equally well to claw out Nemanja Matic's low shot from the resulting corner.

Herrera then took matters into his own hands with two ill-judged tackles on Hazard, both punished with yellow cards by referee Michael Oliver.

Mourinho reacted to the dismissal by hauling off Mkhitaryan and sending on the combative Marouane Fellaini.

It was a tactic designed to frustrate Chelsea but the irrepressible Kante opened them up six minutes after the break, delivering a right-foot shot of unerring accuracy past De Gea.

Diego Costa should have made it 2-0 but United should have levelled when the galloping Rashford left David Luiz and Gary Cahill trailing but shot straight at Thibaut Courtois.

Chelsea were relatively untroubled, though, as they set up a juicy-looking semi-final against London rivals Spurs -- the last team to beat them in any competition.

"We must be pleased because to arrive in the semi-finals and play at Wembley gives us great satisfaction," Conte said. "It's another tough game against a strong team." (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Misery for Manchester as United thrashed and City draw

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Manchester's two Premier League clubs managed just a point between them on Sunday as Manchester United suffered a chastening 4-0 defeat by Chelsea on manager Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge and leaders Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Southampton.

Chelsea's Pedro Rodriguez opened the scoring after just 30 seconds and the Blues were on their way, with Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante adding to the agony for Mourinho, who won seven major titles in two spell as the London club's manager.

Victory saw Antonio Conte's side move up into fourth place, just a point behind the top three of City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

By contrast, defeat left United seventh and five points adrift of the top four finish they need to qualify for the Champions League after missing out on European club football's elite competition this season -- a failure that led the Old Trafford club to replace former manager Louis van Gaal with Mourinho.

"You come with a strategy. You cannot concede a goal in the way we did," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "We made incredible defensive mistakes, individual mistakes, and you pay for that."

After the final whistle, Mourinho whispered in the ear of Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

Conte had urged home fans to make more noise after Kante made it 4-0 in the 70th minute.

But Mourinho refused to reveal what he had told the Italian, saying: "My words were with Antonio Conte were for him, not for you."

Conte was equally guarded, telling the BBC: "When there is a private conversation it is right to remain private, I have great respect for Jose, he is a great manager and he won a lot here."

As for the match itself Conte, in a separate interview with Sky Sports, said: "I am pleased with the performance, we started well, moved the ball quickly, created chances to score the goal."

At Eastlands, City suffered a fifth consecutive match without a victory although the point gained took Pep Guardiola's side back to the top of the table

Following their 4-0 midweek Champions League loss away to Barcelona, City were behind in the 27th minute when central defender John Stones's careless pass across the face of goal was seized on by Saints striker Nathan Redmond.

"I was anticipating it and it was just about keeping a cool head and putting the chance away," said Redmond.

The hosts were much improved in the second half and Kelechi Iheanacho equalised in the 55th minute when he finished a neat move involving Fernandinho and Leroy Sane from close range.

"The second half was much better," said Guardiola. "Of course our mistake is always complicated. The way I want to play is not to pass to their striker."

Southampton manager Claude Puel was pleased by the way his side recovered from their 1-0 Europa League loss away to Inter Milan.

"We played with just two days recovery after the Inter Milan match, which is difficult and we finished the game tired," said Puel. "It is a good point."

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Late Costa strike gives Conte winning Chelsea debut

LONDON - Animated Chelsea manager Antonio Conte launched his Premier League career with a battling 2-1 victory over West Ham United thanks to Eden Hazard's penalty and a last-gasp Diego Costa strike in an intense London derby on Monday.

Fiery Spain striker Costa, lucky to be on the pitch after a wild challenge on keeper Adrian, thumped a low shot into the net in the 89th minute, sending Conte jumping for joy and embracing his coaching staff and several fans behind the dugout.

"I think the team played a good game with a great intensity and spirit," said Conte. "It is important to find the right spirit and intensity, we know we can improve and we must improve a lot, but today I am pleased for my players."

Conte, 47, has worked his new squad hard in the run-up to the season, with double training sessions.

"I saw a lot of good things, lots of things they were working on in the last days," he said. "We have been working for only one month... I know we can improve through the work. But today it was important to get the victory."

West Ham's James Collins had threatened to spoil the Italian's debut with a fine half-volleyed goal in the 78th.

Hazard had given the home side a deserved lead straight after halftime, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from the penalty spot after Michail Antonio needlessly tripped up Chelsea's Spanish full back Cesar Azpilicueta in the area.

FURIOUS PACE

For Conte, who took Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, the match at Stamford Bridge offered a taste of the physical side of English football and his charges looked ready for it.

The contest had started at a furious pace, although first-night nerves sometimes got in the way of quality football.

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante, signed from last season's surprise champions Leicester City, got an early yellow card for bringing down striker Andy Carroll in the fourth minute.

But there were also touches of brilliance from the 2015 league champions, who plunged down the table last season losing manager Jose Mourinho to the sack in the process.

Monday's Chelsea side looked leaner, fitter and more motivated than under Mourinho at the start of last season.

The lively Hazard proved a constant irritation to the east Londoners, who were missing several players through injury, and the Belgian international won the man-of-the-match award.

In the second half Bilic's Hammers side found it tough to string more than two passes together.

"Let's be honest. Apart from the first 15 minutes and the time we equalised, they were better than us," Bilic added.

The home team did suffer a scare when the bearded Costa, looking like a swashbuckling pirate, threw himself into a studs up challenge with Adrian and was lucky not to get a red card.

"I didn't see the situation," said Conte. "I saw him put the pressure on the keeper and then try to stop. In my opinion I think the referee took the right decision."

Costa's escape was certainly lucky for Chelsea after the Spaniard received a pass from new signing Michy Batshuayi and fired a low shot into the net for the late winner.

(Reporting by Clare Lovell; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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