Barkley can make it big for England

Maurizio Sarri has backed Ross Barkley to become an integral part of the England squad after he starred in Chelsea’s 3-0 success at Southampton.

Midfielder Barkley celebrated his recall to the national team at St Mary’s by setting up Eden Hazard’s opener and then scoring his first Blues goal.

Barkley and in-form team-mate Hazard were the standout performers on the south coast and the latter laid on a stoppage-time third for substitute Alvaro Morata.

The former Everton player was left out of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad in the summer following a series of injury issues and won the last of his 22 caps in May 2016.

Head coach Sarri has been impressed with Barkley’s desire to make up for lost time and tipped him for a bright future heading into the international break.

“Today he has played really well. I am really happy with him because from the beginning he has improved, day by day, week by week, match by match,” said the Italian.

“I am very happy for him, for the goal, for the national team.

“He had a very serious injury in the last season, now he’s improving every day but I think the best will come for him.

“Potentially, he is a great player because he has quality, very important qualities from the physical point of view, from the technical point of view, now he’s improving from the tactical point of view.

“I think he will become very important in England and for the England national team.”

Sarri, who replaced compatriot Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge in the summer, saw his unbeaten start continue on Sunday as Chelsea remain among the Premier League pacesetters.

Saints manager Mark Hughes admitted his team struggled to impose themselves on the game.

“(It was a) difficult afternoon for us, we didn’t start with the intensity we talked about,” said Hughes. “We were too passive, gacve then easy possession.”