Chelsea manager Benitez blamed for Ashley Cole's hamstring injury

Rafa Benitez has been blamed for a lot during his time at Chelsea — but according to Ray Wilkins he is now to blame for Ashley Cole’s hamstring injury.

The left back pulled up after only a quarter of an hour during the Blues’ FA Cup quarter-final victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and Wilkins believes resting Cole for the Barclays Premier League trip to Southampton that cost him.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Wilkins said: ‘I am sick of the word “tired” in football. We used to play Easter Friday, Saturday and Monday.

‘Cole never played at Southampton on Saturday, he plays 15 minutes against United and Danny Welbeck takes him on a run and he pulls his hamstring.

‘I honestly feel he has to play all the time, Ashley. He is one of these machines. You have to keep it well oiled and it will fly. Had he played on Saturday, he wouldn’t have done that yesterday.’