Sarri already has one win over Mourinho with Hazard
Chelsea boss has done more for Belgian than Jose did during entire second spell in charge
matches at the beginning of the three seasons Mourinho was Chelsea boss, Hazard, 27, registered four goals in 2013, two a year later and none at all in 2015. For the time being, he will have to settle for winning September’s Premier League Player of the month award.
On receiving the trophy yesterday, Hazard’s delight at having the licence to express himself on the pitch under Sarri was obvious. He told Premier League Productions: “He is a great manager. We have freedom on the pitch and when we don’t have the ball, we know what to do. It’s quite simple, we try to find spaces.
“I’ve improved. This year I’m scoring goals, creating chances and it’s going good. I am full of confidence.”
It is no coincidence the Belgian is scoring more regularly. With Sarri employing a possession-based game and urging players to press higher up the pitch, Hazard is in more advanced positions to make a difference.
This team has been built with Hazard in mind, using the striker to mainly act as a screen for him to work around. While not extinguished completely, Hazard is asked to do fewer lungbusting runs to help out the left-back, as witnessed in Mourinho’s tenure.
Chelsea are not relying on counter attacks, as they did under Mourinho and Conte, to win. Sarri’s philosophy, like Hazard’s, is to entertain.
Rest assured, Mourinho will be a worried man ahead of United’s match in west London tomorrow lunchtime.
On previous encounters, Mourinho has employed Ander Herrera to manmark Chelsea’s No10, with limited