Hammers’ revival to be sorely tested
There were plenty of furrowed brows when Maurizio Sarri arrived at Stamford Bridge in July, tasked with turning Chelsea back into the Premier League’s top dogs.
Five games into the season and with Chelsea top of the table with five wins, the Italian, yet to win any silverware as a coach, has already gone a long way to winning over the sceptics.
The contrast with Manuel Pellegrini, the Chilean hired to turn under-achieving West Ham United into a credible force, could hardly be greater.
Despite Pellegrini spending over £100 million in the transfer window, his first four league games ended in defeats and the natives at the London Stadium were already restless.
He ended that sequence with his side winning 3-1 at Everton last weekend and now he will target Sarri’s Chelsea as he seeks a first home victory tomorrow.
While Pellegrini has struggled to assemble his expensive jigsaw together, Sarri has quietly tweaked Chelsea’s style with minimal additions to the squad which served predecessor Antonio Conte well throughout his two seasons in charge.
While keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and loanee Mateo Kovacic have slotted in well, it is midfield schemer Jorginho, a loyal servant of Sarri’s at Napoli, who has got Chelsea’s engine purring so quickly at the start of another new era.
His perfect start will be fully-tested at West Ham, however, after they appeared to turn a corner at Everton.
Second-placed Liverpool, the other club to start with five wins, will be confident of making it a six at home to Southampton, especially with confidence at sky-high levels after Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Paris St Germain in the Champions League.
Third-placed Manchester City travel to Cardiff City tomorrow while Manchester United seek to maintain their improved Premier League form at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tottenham Hotspur’s early-season optimism has been buried by three consecutive defeats in all competitions – the first time they have suffered such a run under Mauricio Pochettino.
They will be eager to get back on the rails away to Brighton and Hove Albion.
North London rivals Arsenal, who started the Unai Emery era with two defeats but have now won three in a row, host Everton on Sunday.
Huddersfield go to an erratic Leicester City, Newcastle are at Crystal Palace and bottom club Burnley host high-flying Bournemouth. –