MAN U SHAKE NEWCASTLE
Sarri’s side Chelsea continue their fine run as they blank Southampton 3-0
Southampton (United Kingdom), Oct. 7: Maurizio Sarri has got little wrong in the three months since he was appointed Chelsea head coach and the Italian was in credit again after starting Ross Barkley in a 3-0 Premier League victory at Southampton on Sunday.
Barkley has operated largely as understudy to Mateo Kovacic in recent weeks but, having been selected ahead of the onloan Real Madrid man, the England international responded by setting up Eden Hazard’s 30th-minute opening goal before adding the second — his first for the club — just before the hour.
Alvaro Morata came off the bench to complete the win at St Mary’s in added time.
Hazard’s goal was his eighth of the season, seven of which have come in Chelsea’s opening eight Premier League games, and continued his outstanding form since Sarri succeeded Antonio Conte as Blues boss in July.
But Barkley’s performance was also a major factor in Chelsea’s victory that ensured they maintained the pressure at the top of the Premier League immediately before fellow title-contenders Liverpool and Manchester City met at Anfield.
This was only Barkley’s fifth league start since his 15-million ($20 million, 17 million euros) transfer from Everton in January, a move that had been put on hold from the previous August while the player continued his recovery from a serious hamstring injury.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Jose Mourinho was given a stay of execution as Manchester United staged a stirring fightback to beat Newcastle 3-2 thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s last-gasp winner
Mourinho had presided over United’s worst sevengame start to a season for 29 years amid the breakdown of his relationship with Paul Pogba and several other key players.
A winless Newcastle raced into a two-goal in the first 10 minutes at Old Trafford. But United soon clicked into gear.
— Agencies