Sunday’s huge 6-0 defeat at Manchester City left Chelsea sixth in the table. Sarri is now facing questions about his ability to deliver a top-four finish with his so called ‹Sarriball» approach.

It has also intensified speculation linking Hazard with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season, but the Belgium international stressed that he believed in the way Sarri wanted Chelsea to play.

«All the managers I’ve played for have given me something, from when I started with Claude Puel at Lille to now with Maurizio Sarri,» he told Chelsea’s website.

«They all see football in different ways, which is why I’m the player I am. They have all given me important advice. Jose Mourinho was special, but the way Sarri and [Rudi] Garcia like to play is more like my philosophy of football.»