Sarri Hails Blossoming Partnership

Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri is excited by the partnership developing between Gonzalo Higuain and Eden Hazard.

Sarri’s position was under scrutiny following Wednesday’s 4-0 loss at Bournemouth – Chelsea’s worst league loss in over 22 years – but the Premier League’s bottom club Huddersfield were ideal opponents as the Blues romped to a 5-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Higuain, on loan from Juventus, opened the scoring and struck a fourth from 25 yards for his first Chelsea goals, either side of a Hazard penalty and composed finish with David Luiz grabbing the fifth.

“On the pitch they are really very suitable to play one close to the other,” the 60-year-old Italian said. “For us it’s very useful. For Higuain, he will be able to score, I think, a lot of goals.

“I know very well that when he arrived he wasn’t at the top of the physical condition. Now he’s improving and I’m really very happy.”

Higuain enjoyed the best season of his career under Sarri at Napoli, scoring 36 goals in 35 Serie A games, while Hazard had been singled out for criticism by the Blues boss of late.

The Belgium forward, whose long-term future remains in doubt with his contract expiring in June 2020, took his season’s tally to 15 goals.