The Southampton talisman was just that against Jose Mourinho’s men: a talisman.
Morgan Schneiderlin really is a huge miss for Southampton when he’s not around.
When the French midfielder is out injured or suspended, the South Coast side just don’t tick in the same way. And it’s easy to see why after the 25-year-old’s stunning display against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
At Stamford Bridge, Ronald Koeman’s men stunted Chelsea in key areas after initially going a goal down to a Diego Costa header.
Schneiderlin played a big part in that – posting an incredible tackling statistic that underlines his importance to this Southampton side.
| Total Tackles | Tackles Won | Accurate Passes | Interceptions | Touches | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Schneiderlin | 10 | 10 | 49 | 9 | 89 | 90 |
| Victor Wanyama | 6 | 4 | 33 | 8 | 73 | 90 |
| Steven Davis | 4 | 3 | 33 | 3 | 62 | 71 |
| Jose Fonte | 4 | 3 | 28 | 4 | 60 | 90 |
| Ryan Bertrand | 3 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 55 | 90 |
| Nathaniel Clyne | 2 | 2 | 21 | 5 | 61 | 90 |
| Sadio Mané | 1 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 69 | 90 |
Indeed, Opta data proves Schneiderlin’s worth against Chelsea during what really was a phenomenal display from midfield.
The Frenchman won 100 per cent of his tackles – an incredible 10/10. But it doesn’t stop there, with the 25-year-old also completing more passes than any other Southampton player against the Blues.
Who won the most interceptions out of the Saints’ side? Yep, that was Schneiderlin. And who took more touches than any other Southampton star – yes, that was Schneiderlin too.
| Match | Total Tackles | Tackles Won | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Reed | Southampton vs Everton | 14 | 12 | 90 |
| Morgan Schneiderlin | Chelsea vs Southampton | 10 | 10 | 90 |
As the numbers show, only one man has won more tackles in a single match than Schneiderlin did against Chelsea during this Premier league season: Southampton’s 20-year-old talent Harrison Reed.
And, even then, Reed didn’t win all those he attempted!
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