‘Happy’ Chelsea eye United scalp
Playing with panache under new manager Sarri, Blues look to inflict further misery on exboss Mourinho
LONDON: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho returns to his former home on Saturday seeking to stop the rot against a high-flying Chelsea team playing with a smile on their faces under Maurizio Sarri.
United fought back from 2-0 down at home to Newcastle to win 3-2 two weeks ago to hand Mourinho a stay of execution as reports emerged that the Portuguese was set to be axed. That rousing revival kept his job for now.
United travel to Stamford Bridge already seven points adrift of Chelsea, who are level on 20 points at the top of the Premier League with City and Liverpool.
Mourinho’s season has been blighted by confrontations with key players refusal to play the brand of attacking football United fans became accustomed to during the glory years of Alex Ferguson’s 27-year tenure.
Sarri’s style could not be more different. The Italian has put the smile back on faces at Chelsea with an attractive brand of football that has also produced results.
“There are moments when the grand spectacle of it all convinces you to put aside any regrets, even if you concede at the last minute or five minutes into stoppages,” Sarri told Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, reliving the challenge of facing Juergen Klopp as Liverpool snatched a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser last month.
“That was an extraordinary show. Just 10 minutes earlier, I saw Klopp looking at me with the game going on. I asked: ‘Why are you smiling?’ He replied: ‘Aren’t you having fun? I said: ‘So much’ and he added ‘me too’. He was losing at the time.”
BARCA, REAL EYE WINS
MADRID: Real Madrid and Barcelona cannot avoid heading into next week’s Clasico under pressure but each have two games to lift the mood at least, ahead of the pivotal clash at the Camp Nou.
Real face Levante in La Liga on Saturday, while Barca take on Sevilla in an unexpected duel of first and second, where the onus will be on Valverde’s men to make a statement.