Maurizio Sarri hanging on to Chelsea job 'by a thread', warns Tony Dorigo

Tom Doyle18 March 2019

Maurizio Sarri is in danger of being sacked by Chelsea unless he starts picking up key results, according to former Blues defender Tony Dorigo.

Sarri is under increasing pressure after Chelsea's 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday - a result which damaged their hopes of a Premier League top-four finish.

Chelsea have picked up one point from their last two League games, and now sit three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal in the race for Champions League qualification.

Italian coach Sarri was under fire earlier this season after heavy away defeats to Bournemouth (4-0) and Manchester City (6-0), with club officials holding high-level talks regarding his future.

Sarri remained in his role, and a fine home win over Tottenham and an strong EFL Cup Final performance against Man City - despite an eventual penalty shootout defeat - suggested the Blues had turned a corner.

Chelsea's confident progress to the Europa League has also boosted Sarri, but the recent 1-1 home draw with Wolves and the latest loss at Everton have again led to questions over the 60-year-old's future in west London.

In Pictures | Chelsea vs Wolves | 10/03/2019

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Asked whether Sarri was set for the sack, Dorigo - who made 146 appearances for Chelsea between 1987 and 1991 - told Love Sport Radio:

"When Maurizio Sarri came, I looked at what he did at Napoli and Empoli. The style was fantastic.

"Obviously the Premier League is different but even so you saw certain parts of Chelsea coming together and then it all fell apart again. It's about results.

"You've got to get them. Do Chelsea deserve to be in the top couple? Probably not. But after that they really should be knocking on that door.

"They are just dropping off the pace and what we know about the owner [Roman Abramovich] is that he does not suffer fools gladly. When he thinks the time is right, they are gone. He's hanging on by a thread.

Tottenham, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea | Premier League top four race

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"Because of the transfer ban and what Sarri is trying to do, will the owner believe in the style and beliefs of Maurizio Sarri?

"The only way he's going to do that is if he wins things and there is one chance left. The Europa League is so, so important."

Sarri admitted he was concerned by Chelsea's mentality after the defeat on Merseyside, questioning how his team could follow a promising opening 45 minutes with such a disappointing second-half showing.

In Pictures | Everton vs Chelsea | 17/03/2019

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Dirigo said of the display: "The team, as soon as they cross that white line, have to be together. No-one can be pulling in different directions.

"To me, it looks like something isn't right. Is it belief? Do the players believe in what they're trying to do?

"What I don't understand is how you can put in a performance like that first half - if they were two or three up you would have thought that was about right - and then go and do that in the second half. It's a real shame."

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