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Ander Herrera was shown a red card in the 35th minute of the game; it was his second yellow card of the game and the referee had already gotten tired of United’s persistent foul on Eden Hazard.

Speaking after the game, Conte said Herrera deserved a second yellow card for the foul on Hazard.

He said: “My point of view is that we want to play football and for the first 25 minutes it was impossible for Hazard to play because he got a lot of kicks. I’m not crazy and it’s not only me who saw it.

“He started [the game] receiving kicks and finished it receiving kicks, nobody can say that didn’t happen. A tactic doesn’t exist when you go to kick an opponent, it’s not football.

“Sometimes when you play against players with great talent you try to intimidate them and the ref must protect these type of players.”