Sarri will Pep it up

From Page 46 the back all the time. He said that was not in discussion and was part of his game, even in the difficult moments.

“Maybe he adapted. He has improved a lot, because he got his team defending better and pressing better, attacking better. He has adjusted something – but not the way he saw his football.

“You admire what Pep has done. Certainly he’s a good inspiration. But not everything comes together straight away.

“We have players here who can do even more than they’re doing, and we can go far as a team.”

But while Zola accepts there are question marks over Sarri’s approach and style of play, he believes his fellow Italian will get Chelsea firing given time.

Tonight’s game at Stamford Bridge is the first of four crucial matches in 10 days that will determine Sarri’s future.

Defeat tonight could spell the end for Sarri, even though Chelsea then meet Malmo in the second leg of their Europa League last-32 clash on Thursday with a 2-1 lead.

They face City again in the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday before a Premier League clash with Tottenham a week on Wednesday.

Zola said: “There are questions about what we’re doing, a lot of doubts.

“But we are trying to adapt to the league – we are adapting, but we don’t change what we believe is good for this club because otherwise we are nothing.”

Asked if maybe the stubborn Sarri could change his methods, Zola said: “How do people know we are not making changes? “We are adjusting things.” After resting key men Gonzalo Higuain and Eden Hazard against Malmo, both will return against United.