Ancelotti hints at Torres error

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Ancelotti gambled by starting Torres and leaving Didier Drogba on the bench, even though Torres had not scored in 817 minutes and 13 matches for club and country. Torres suffered a torrid first 45 minutes and was replaced at half-time by Drogba, who scored in the second half.

When asked if it had been a mistake to start with Torres, Ancelotti said: "Maybe. Could be. I told you a lot of times this season I wanted to start with Fernando for this kind of game, these type of tactics."

He added: "Didier played well in the second half. I wanted to put more pressure up front because we needed to score. Didier was fresh and he could use his power up front. This was the reason I took out Fernando."

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, however, was in no doubt that it was the huge fee Chelsea splashed out for Torres in January which forced Ancelotti's hand.

Ferguson said: "A lot of people thought Drogba would play. I thought having signed Torres for the money they did they had to play him. I wasn't 100% sure but I couldn't see how they could leave Torres out."

Ferguson, however, insisted he was not criticising Chelsea for signing Torres.

"They had the opportunity to sign Torres and I don't think anyone would have turned it down," Ferguson said. "Everyone said at the time it was fantastic business.

"You can't criticise him (Ancelotti) for that, it was a good signing. It isn't working at the moment but he is a young man and there are other seasons ahead."