Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri could be SACKED after two more games - Martin Keown

Posted Saturday, February 02, 2019 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri could be SACKED after two more games - Martin Keown
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is already under pressure (Image: GETTY)

CHELSEA boss Maurizio Sarri could be sacked if the Blues lose their next two games.

That’s the view of former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, who saw Chelsea fall out of the Premier League top four in midweek.

It came after a 4-0 hammering at Bournemouth, moving Arsenal into fourth spot on goal difference.

Despite an impressive start to his reign at Chelsea, Sarri has struggled to get consistent performances out of his side in recent weeks.

Sarri himself admitted after the Bournemouth defeat ‘maybe I’m not able to motivate them [the players]’.

And now Keown believes Sarri is seriously under pressure, just six months after taking over at Stamford Bridge.

“Maurizio Sarri has earned plenty of respect throughout his managerial career,” Keown wrote for the Daily Mail.

“That does not mean he can assume he has the respect of his players.

“When Sarri sits in the Stamford Bridge dressing room, he is the only one there who has never won a trophy.

“He has publicly gone to war with a group of serial winners — and at Chelsea the manager is never going to come out on top.

“These players have proved difficult to motivate when they are out of a title race.

“They have followed up their last two Premier League titles with 10th and fifth-placed finishes.

“The last week is a perfect example. Chelsea were up for it when there was a place in the Carabao Cup final on the line but when league action resumed, they suffered their heaviest defeat of the Roman Abramovich era.

“The four goals they conceded at Bournemouth suggests the players are no longer listening to their manager.

“They were not doing the basics and no one was taking charge.

“It may only take a couple more bad results for Chelsea to make a change in the dugout.”

Sarri himself admitted on Friday that he has found life difficult at Stamford Bridge.

When asked if it’s been a tougher job than he expected, the Italian replied: “Probably yes but I knew the level was very high.

“This team played another football and they won with another football.

“It is really very difficult, but we can do it I think.”

Chelsea host Huddersfield on Saturday (3pm) before a trip to Manchester City.