Chelsea star Gary Cahill says Diego Costa can't change after controversial Liverpool clash

Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill has backed his teammate Diego Costa after the FA charged him with violent conduct for an alleged stamp on Liverpool midfielder Emre Can during the second leg of the League Cup semi-final, which was played at Stamford Bridge on 27 January.

Cahill said "you cannot change the way some players play and it is one of the striker's strengths."

Jose Mourinho claimed after the game the stamp was "absolutely accidental".

"What you call stamps and Sky calls crimes, I have to say absolutely accidental. He goes to the ball, he chases the ball, as the opponent is on the floor, they have a contact, he puts his foot there when he's looking to the ball," Mourinho said.

And Cahill has now also defended his teammate claiming that Costa's special physical approach to the game is eventually what let him make the difference.

"I don't think you can change the way some players play and it is one of his strengths, obviously channelled in the right direction. And 99% of the time it is," Cahill said to TalkSport.

"He is a very physical guy, that is just the way he plays, and that is why he has adapted so well to the Premier League.

"People have seen how good he is as a target man, bringing people into the game, but also how good he is with his feet. He is a very skilful forward and has scored a lot of very good goals for us up to now. He is a complete player."

In this sense Cahill points out that he already suffered Costa's special skills last season during the Champions League semi-final when Atletico Madrid beat the Blues.

"I played against him before he even came to the club when we played Atletico Madrid over two legs in the semi-final [of the Champions League] and he is a physical guy who is a handful to play against as a defender."