Returning to Stamford Bridge, the scene of one of his worst ever performances for Manchester United, Chris Smalling was eager to start the FA Cup quarter final against Chelsea well.
Sadly for him, his attempts to get tight to Eden Hazard in the game’s early minutes left him looking like he was once again nursing a broken toe.
The Belgian received the ball in the centre circle with his back to goal and Smalling breathing down his neck. But with just one touch, Hazard was able to make light work of shrugging off the England international.
Using his right instep to flick the ball through his own legs, Hazard sent Smalling in the complete wrong direction or, to quote several hundred Twitter accounts commenting on the incident, ‘sent him back to Maidstone United’.
Hazard was left with a free run at the rest of United’s back line, with Smalling left running in treacle to try and catch up.
Fortunately for Smalling, Hazard’s brilliant touch came to nothing in the end.
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