SARRI-BALL IS BURST BY OLE
FA CUP QUARTERFINAL DRAW Blues boss close to exit as fans turn nasty CHELSEA ........ 0 MAN UTD ......... 2
MAURO SARRI insisted he’s not heading for the door at Chelsea after his struggling Blues suffered a dire FA Cup defeat to their bitter rivals.
Manchester United were dominant throughout the clash at Stamford Bridge with first-half goals from Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba doing the damage.
They will now go on to face Wolves in the quarter-finals while Sarri is trying to keep axewielding wolves from his door.
The Italian cut a hopeless figure on the touchline, out of ideas and seemingly out of time because there is no way back when the fans turn as they have done in such brutal fashion.
It is incredible to think they have a League Cup Final on Sunday and yet you would not put it past Chelsea to put an end to “Sarri-ball” before then as they look a hopeless case.
They did not concede six this time but Chelsea were booed off at half-time and full-time and the more damning evidence was on the pitch as they were outfought, outwitted and outclassed.
But Sarri stood firm in the aftermath and insisted he’s not concerned about his future.
He said: “Tonight we were unlucky because we played a very good first half and at the end of the half the score was 2-0.
“I feel the pressure for results, not about something else.”
Asked if players understood “Sarri-ball” he admitted it was still a work in progress and revealed he’d never before heard fans – who broke into an X-rated chorus aimed at the tactics – chanting against it.
He said: “It’s the first time. I can understand the situation and our fans because the result – wasn’t good. We are out of the FA Cup. I’m worried about our results at the moment.”
Chelsea started quite nicely, Eden Hazard looking lively and David Luiz’s 20-yard free-kick forced a good save from United keeper Sergio Romero who then stopped Pedro’s follow-up effort.
But they were the architects of their own downfall because, as well as United played going forward, Chelsea just gave them way too much space.
Luiz and Marcos Alonso are simply not made to defend and that was there for all to see.
United were ahead in 31 minutes after a lovely piece of build-up, Juan Mata influential Watford v Crystal Palace Millwall v Brighton Ties to be played March 15-17 before Pogba once again showed his class with a beautiful cross.
Herrera raced into the middle, Luiz was too busy watching Marcus Rashford while Alonso lost his man completely and the little Spaniard was unmarked when he headed home.
Part of the magic of the Cup is the away allocation and the Shed End was soon full of United fans celebrating wildly.
The second goal arrived right before the half-time whistle with Pogba both scorer and architect.
The Frenchman spread the ball wide to Rashford on the right and then ran completely untracked from the halfway line and into the box.
Rashford put over a wonderful cross and picked out Pogba who dived in to powerfully head home an emphatic second.
Boss Ole Gunnar Solksjaer said: “It’s a massive result. We had criticism after the PSG game and everyone did what we asked.
“The next round is an away tie again after Arsenal and Chelsea but that’s it. We’ll have to do it the hard way, Wolves are a tough team to play against.”