SMOKIN’ ACES Sarri’s doubts are to the fore as his Blues avoid running out of puff before clincher
Chain-smoking Maurizio Sarri must have feared he’d have to settle for a draw before Chelsea got their act together.
The new Stamford Bridge boss, an 80 fags a day man, shoved gum and even a cigarette butt into his mouth as his side toiled to tame the Terriers.
In the end, N’Golo Kante’s first goal in 11 months settled suffering Sarri’s nerves.
Huddersfield displayed the spirit which had seen them survive for another season in the Premier League after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in May sparked celebrations in London for the players until 5am the next morning.
Unt il Kante st ruck, the potential for another night on the booze was looming.
Sarri said: “I am very happy because for us the first part of the season isn’t easy to gain points. The first half was hard.
“You look at the result and think it is an easy game but in the f irst half we were in trouble against a very physical team.”
The handbrake and tension was released with Kante’s rare strike and £ 71million Kepa Arrizabalaga (right) was able to start his Premier League life as the world’s most expensive keeper with a clean sheet.
For the opener Pedro broke and his pass sent Willian bursting down the left, the Brazi l ian then f inding Kante unmarked inside the box. His shot thudded into the ground before looping over Ben Hamer for his first goal since September 9. Both he and French team-mate Olivier Giroud returned from their triumph in Russia to find mini World Cups perched on their dressing room lockers. He won’t win any awards for his goal but it set Chelsea on the path to victory and a much improved performance in the second half. It will take time for t h e mu c h respected ‘Sarriball’ to arrive at Stamford Bridge. The ex-Napoli boss said: “I don’t w a nt t o do another Napoli, I want to do a good Chelsea. “I have to respect all of the characteristics of the players and I have to adapt to all of the cha r a c t e r i s t i c s of t he championship. Now I’m starting.”
By the interval Chelsea had a two- goal cushion, courtesy of £57m signing Jorginho, who kept his nerve from the penalty spot after Chris Schindler tripped Marcos Alonso.
A third goal really f lattered Chelsea, Eden Hazard enjoying a 15-minute cameo off the bench and setting up Pedro for a clinical finish.
It could have been so very different if a fierce header from Steve Mounie had not crashed back off the inside of a post shortly after Chelsea’s opener.
Huddersf ield boss David Wagner said: “The result was disappointing but not the performance. I have seen passion, desire, the spirit we usually have in our game. I felt the energy in the stadium. We were unlucky.”