Manchester United vs Chelsea: Maurizio Sarri says season would not be a failure if Blues miss out on top-four

Maurizio Sarri has rejected the suggestion Chelsea's campaign would be considered a failure if his side fails in its efforts to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

The Blues could work their way back into European football’s premier competition through a top-four finish in the Premier League or by winning the Europa League.

Sunday’s visit to Old Trafford to face Manchester United presents them with an opportunity to tighten their hold on fourth place while they will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final the following Thursday.

Success via either route would mean Sarri has fulfilled his main aim this season but Chelsea’s campaign has certainly not followed a path of steady progress, with the Italian at times coming in for strong criticism, including from some of the club’s supporters frustrated at the team’s style of playing. Missing out on the top four would add to the doubts about Sarri’s long term prospects at Stamford Bridge but the head coach insists this has been a productive season.

“We played a final [against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup],” he said. “We lost the final on penalties. We are in the semi-final in the Europa League. We are fighting for the top four. So the season, at the moment, is good.

“Of course we have two very, very strong targets: we want the top four in the Premier League and, at the moment, we want to go to the final of the Europa League. If we are able to get to the final, then we will want to win the final. And so I think the season is, at the moment, good.”

However, there have, Sarri acknowledges, been moments when his side have fallen short of standards, although he insists those moments should be viewed in context. “Of course, (it’s been) a very difficult season,” he added. “We lost in the wrong way two or three matches, so the feeling, sometimes, is worse. I think for this reason because we lost two or three matches in the wrong way, in a very wrong way, without fighting. But if you look at the season, we are doing well, I think. Of course, it’s only the first step. We need to improve more. We need to become competitive for the top. The first step, though, is good.”

A positive result against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who lie sixth, would in part make up for the disappointment being held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley on Monday which meant Chelsea failed to make more of last weekend’s round of matches when Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and United all lost. “After 55/56 matches, it’s really very difficult to be at the top physically, to be brilliant,” Sarri said. “But when you are able to score two goals in a match after a European match, you have to win. We conceded two very stupid goals, I think and so we paid at the end fo the match.

That match ended with the Italian being sent to the stands in added time after a heated exchange with the Burnley bench with Gianfranco Zola, Sarri’s assistant, explaining afterwards that Sarri was angered by comments made by a member of Sean Dyche’s staff. The Chelsea head coach was fined £8,000 after accepting an FA misconduct charge this week and insists the matter is now closed.

“It was a strong discussion but on the pitch, under pressure,” he said. “And, in my opinion, a situation on the pitch has to remain on the pitch. As you know, I made a lot of mistakes on the pitch sometimes in the past. But under pressure it can happen. I know very well you can say something sometimes that is not in your mind. I think that the situation is finished, and I prefer that the situation is finished.”