SARRI: I’M RIGHT TO CHANGE KANTE ROLE

DEFIANT Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri insists he will not back down over his decision to move N’Golo Kante from the position that made him a superstar.

Kante, 27, has won league titles with Leicester and Chelsea and the World Cup with France – all in consecutive seasons playing as a defensive midfielder.

Sarri, however, has replaced him with Italy playmaker Jorginho, with whom he worked at Napoli.

This season Kante (right) has been playing further forward on the right.

Former players and pundits have poured scorn on the switch, though Sarri appeared to be vindicated last weekend, when Chelsea ended Manchester City’s unbeaten start to the season and blew the title race wide open.

Sarri, whose men go to Brighton today, said: “If you buy Jorginho and have Cesc Fabregas, then I think you have to play 4-3-3. If you play 4-3-3 in my style of football, then the central midfielder is a very technical player. Jorginho is very fast in the mind. He is able to play one touch or two touch.”

In the 2-0 win over City, Kante was the surprise scorer of the first goal and Sarri said: “I think Kante in my style of football has to play (where I have him). I can understand somebody might think differently but if you think to my football you have to say I’m right.”