Chelsea ace Marc Cucurella causes Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Jamie Carragher disagreement

Jamie Carragher and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink disagreed over Marc Cucurella (Image: Sky Sports)

The underwhelming performance of Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella caused tension between Jamie Carragher and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink post-match after Manchester City left Stamford Bridge with all three points following a 1-0 victory. The Spaniard was solid in the first half but after the interval, he was ruthlessly exposed by City as they went for the throat.

The winning goal came courtesy of Riyad Mahrez, who tapped home at the back post after Jack Grealish slid the ball across the face of goal.

Cucurella should have tracked his runner but Kept Arrizabalaga was also equally to blame for failing to claim the low cross.

Carragher was not impressed by the performance of Cucurella, who cost Chelsea £63million from Brighton in the summer transfer window.

“For me, I wasn’t happy with Cucurella right throughout that second half,” the ex-Liverpool defender said on Sky Sports.

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Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella lost Riyad Mahrez at the back post for the goal (Image: Getty)

“When you’re talking about the price tag – he can’t defend. I was watching him during the game.

“When you’re talking about someone who can’t defend, I think when someone doesn’t want to defend, it’s actually worse.

“It looked like he didn’t want to defend in one versus one situations.”

Hasselbaink then had his say, adding: “I disagree, I think he wants to defend but Manchester City just targeted him.”

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Carragher intervened, firing back: “But when someone dives in Jimmy, let me tell you from a defender’s point of view, when you dive in it’s because you don’t want to defend.

“You’ve got to defend properly, you’ve got to stay on your feet.”

To which the former Chelsea striker responded: “I think his defending is bad but he was overloaded as well and he didn’t get the help you should get. I’m not disagreeing with you.”

Carragher then joked: “Well I think you are.”

The Dutchman then took a chance to defend his comments: “I still think that he wants to defend but I just think he had a really bad game, Manchester City acknowledged that. 50 per cent of their attacks were over that side. That’s targeting him.

“I still think if he wants to defend, he’s not a good defender.”

City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top back to five points following the Gunners’ 0-0 draw with Newcastle on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side delivered the perfect response to the underwhelming 1-1 draw with Everton on New Year’s Eve.