Chelsea boss Sarri is under pressure going into Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham. It has been a chastening few months for the Italian and, in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, he experienced the toughest afternoon of his tenure so far. Chelsea produced a spirited display against Pep Guardiola’s side to take the game to a penalty shootout, just weeks after being thumped 6-0 at the Etihad by the same opposition. But, on what should have been an encouraging display for Sarri, the Chelsea soap opera instead scaled new heights. Kepa Arrizabalaga’s refusal to make way for Willy Caballero has prompted outrage from around the footballing world. The £72million summer signing from Athletic Bilbao initially looked like he was injured at Wembley. But, when Sarri tried hooking him, the Chelsea goalkeeper refused to budge. Caballero, in flux on the touchline, looked devastated. And Sarri’s demeanour also did little to help. The Italian was raging, threatening to walk out of Wembley at one point. Ultimately, he changed his mind. With Chelsea stuck in a rut, and failing to impress against the big teams, fans are calling for Abramovich to act. Trending After all, the Russian has sacked managers for a lot less - as Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho and even Avram Grant can testify. But Chelsea may halt any decision to sack Sarri, regardless of tonight’s game against Tottenham. Abramovich wants his Blues side to play pretty, enterprising football. A style in the mould of Pep Guardiola. Ancelotti’s football was perhaps the closest Chelsea have come but the Italian’s failure to get Fernando Torres fully firing proved to be his undoing. Mourinho was successful, but too defensive. A man too entrenched in the dark arts, too. Which is why, back in the summer, Abramovich pushed the boat out for Sarri. Antonio Conte’s head rolled, with the Italian failing to deliver on the pitch. The football, by the end of his time in charge, had become tedious. Sarri had his Napoli side playing some enterprising stuff over in Serie A. And that is a process that can take time. And that is a process that can take time. Look at Pep Guardiola, over at Manchester City. His first season in charge finished without a trophy and with fans pondering whether the Spaniard had bitten off more than he could chew. But City chiefs stood by him and look at him now. Sunday’s Carabao Cup win was his third trophy in English football in as many years. Even Sir Alex Ferguson needed time to make Manchester United entertainers. It took him four years to get the ball rolling on the trophy front. And that is why Abramovich may bide his time. Chelsea are a work in progress and the Blues owner himself must recognise that his squad needs an overhaul. Christian Pulisic, who will officially touch down from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, is a start. A defeat to Tottenham will raise eyebrows tonight. It will probably increase calls for Sarri to go. But Chelsea may give this manag
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