Higuain off the mark to ease pressure on Sarri

Gonzalo Higuain got his Chelsea career off and running with a brace in Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Town. The win came during a rocky period for the Blues, following a 4-0 humbling on the south coast in mid-week at the hands of Bournemouth.

Maurizio Sarri came into the game under a great deal of pressure, with back-to-back Premier League defeats and a growing consensus from fans and the media that Sarri was failing to adapt to life in England and that his stubborn tactics and lack of rotation was beginning to fall apart. The role of Jorginho has also come under severe criticism, with many feeling that N’Golo Kante should return to his more natural position in the centre of the defensive midfield unit.

Higuain eases woes

However, things can change very quickly in football, and this was perfectly demonstrated at 5pm on Saturday afternoon. Higuain, the man brought in to replace the disappointing Alvaro Morata, had notched two goals (one of which was an absolute screamer), Hazard had returned to goal scoring form and David Luiz had even chipped in with a late addition.

The mood had already dramatically improved at Stamford Bridge, and Higuain seems to be a large factor in this. The striker’s performance was exactly what Chelsea had been crying out for. Morata’s spell at the heart of Chelsea’s attack had been littered with offsides, missed chances and poor touches.

Yet Higuain, for now, has reinstalled confidence into this Chelsea unit and has fans yearning for more. The Argentinian played with confidence, calmness and intricate link up play that had enabled the likes of Eden Hazard, Ross Barkley and Willian to excel.

What next for Chelsea?

The win came at a pivotal time for Chelsea, who now face a daunting run of potentially season defining fixtures. First up, is a trip to defending Champions Man City, before their Europa League quest resumes against Malmo of Sweden. From there, they welcome old rivals Man United to Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup 5th round.

And then, Chelsea meet Pep Guardiola’s Man City again in the League Cup final. The first major trophy of the season will be on the line, and Sarri, who is famously yet to win a trophy, will have his heart set on eliminating that duck.

It remains to be seen exactly how well Higuain will do at Stamford Bridge, yet his new found confidence along with Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures gives him the perfect opportunity to cement himself as a Chelsea hero.

Featured Image Credit: “Stamford Bridge” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by wkocjan