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Jamie O'Hara waxed lyrical about N'Golo Kante following Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Brentford in the EFL Cup last night.
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder opined that starting Kante is like having two players on the pitch. The Frenchman came off the bench and played a big role in Chelsea's first goal of the night. He was also terrific in their draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, making an impressive comeback from injury.
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Kante's importance to the side has been laid bare in the past two games and O'Hara is in awe of the player. While speaking to talkSPORT after the match, he said:
“It’s great for them now having N’Golo Kante back in the team. Had a part in both of the goals [against Brentford]… He’s like having two players.”
Kante nonchalantly evaded two of his markers before playing Reece James on the right. The full-back's cross was then turned home by Pontus Jansson into his own net.
Chelsea finally had the breakthrough in the 80th minute. Five minutes later, Jorginho dispatched a penalty after Christian Pulisic was brought down inside the area by Alvaro Fernandez.
Chelsea will now play London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a two-legged semi-final in January next year.
Kante's return is a massive boost for Chelsea ahead of a congested fixture list
Kante's importance to Chelsea was clear when the side failed to win in five of their previous seven games in all competitions without him.
That included a pulsating 3-3 draw with Zenit Saint-Petersburg in their final group stage fixture of the Champions League which saw them concede top spot to Juventus.
The Frenchman offers incredible balance to Thomas Tuchel's side, who are simply a different beast whenever he's on the pitch.
Kante's work-rate is well-documented, covering every blade of grass while looking to recycle possession and break down opposition play. He has a big influence going forward too with his driving runs.
The 30-year-old's return to action could bolster Chelsea, who've looked shaky of late and have a congested fixture list ahead of them.
