Not so Sarri as boss wins power play

THE DAY before the game Maurizio Sarri had said that the Kepa affair was now closed, after the keeper was fined a week’s wages and forced to apologise to everyone for his show of insubordination at Wembley.

Then last night, Sarri, who claimed it was all a ‘misunderstanding,’ axed Kepa Arrizabalaga (with Sarri above) and instead, for a game so key to his future, named his No.2 goalkeeper Willy Caballero to face Tottenham.

The Italian insisted: “It’s a choice. It’s a message for my group.” The question was, would the decision backfire?

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole (below) had no doubts, saying: “He has got it spot on.”

It was in November at Wembley when Tottenham became the first team to expose the flaws in ‘Sarri-ball’, when they dismantled Chelsea 3-1. The Blues never seemed to recover – and went into last night’s return having lost six of their last dozen games and lying sixth in the table.

There was no doubt Chelsea were fired up for this. They were scrapping like they did at Wembley, with Pedro and Eden Hazard lying deep.

Yet Harry Winks hit the bar and Spurs started to move the ball about ominously smoothly.

But then Pedro scored from an impossible angle after Toby Alderweireld slipped up. Then was tackling back in his own penalty area. N’Golo Kante was unstoppable down the right-hand side, while David Luiz was solid for once.

As Kepa watched from the sidelines, Sarri might just have extended his life as Chelsea manager a little bit longer.

Perhaps player power took a step backwards for once at the Bridge – certainly it looked like it as Sarri took talisman Hazard off midway through the second half.

Fourth place in the table – the statistic that will decide the Italian’s future – is still within reach for Chelsea. It’s still a mad world at Stamford Bridge. Don’t doubt that. But last night the lunacy took a breath.