ROBERTO DI MATTEO played down his decision to leave out some big names for Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round replay at Birmingham.

Di Matteo was installed as caretaker this week for the rest of the season following the sacking of manager Andre Villas-Boas on Sunday.

Portuguese coach Villas-Boas was rumoured to have been undermined by an influential group of senior players during his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge, and Di Matteo duly left veterans Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba on the bench for Tuesday’s cup tie at St Andrew’s.

Goals from Juan Mata and Raul Meireles helped Chelsea run out 2-0 winners against Championship side Birmingham, booking their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Speaking afterwards, former Chelsea player Di Matteo said his team selection was not an attempt to exert his authority over the old guard.

“It was nothing to do with bravery,” Di Matteo told Sky Sports when asked about leaving out the big names.”They’re all on board and they know what target we have, which we must achieve.”

“There are big players for this club and we have a squad and we have to utilise the squad because … we have to get the best out of these players and the team.”

“It was just a question of freshening up the team a little bit, giving some fresh legs and some energy for a game like this because we knew we had to fight and so that was the only idea.”

Di Matteo declined to comment on whether or not he would seek the full-time role as Chelsea manager.

“Would I take it (the manager’s job)? I’m very tired tonight,” he said.”I have to think about Stoke City from an hour’s time onwards, and that’s all I’m thinking about.”

“Think whatever you want to think. I’m not thinking about anything else.”

Birmingham manager Chris Hughton felt his team acquitted themselves well, and were ultimately undone only by the strength in depth of their English Premier League opponents.

“When you look at the bench they had, it’s great quality and whatever eleven they put on the park … they’re able to open you up if you make mistakes,” Hughton said.

“First half I thought was fairly even, I can’t think of a real good opportunity that they had.”

“We needed to stay in the game longer … I thought we conceded the first goal too early in that second half and that gave them the lift that maybe they needed.”

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