Sarri hopes to be given time to make Chelsea the best

Steven Chicken

Chelsea started the season by going 18 games unbeaten yet Maurizio Sarri is already appealing for more time to improve his side. It’s a funny old season, isn’t it?

Chelsea face a true test of their progress under Sarri when Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola endured a difficult first season at City before winning the Premier League title in his second season last term, but Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is not renowned for his patience.

Sarri said: “What happens if Guardiola had no time in City? Maybe the best team in the world (would not have been) City in the last year.

“My problem is to improve my players, to solve the situation, to solve problems, to try to gain a lot of points.

“Then there is the club that will decide what is better for them.”

Sarri was appointed in July after fellow Italian Antonio Conte was sacked following the Blues’ fifth-placed finish last season, 30 points behind champions City.

Guardiola and Sarri met last summer, with the Spaniard offering advice to the 59-year-old former banker, who has not won a trophy in the professional game.

Ex-Napoli boss Sarri said: “For him (Guardiola), it’s impossible to improve 20 players in the first season.

“He told me, in the first season, you have to work only on 14, 15 players otherwise you are in trouble.

“You need a season just to understand the real situation here (in England).”