Maurizio
Sarri praised Chelsea for staying in contention against a rampant Liverpool
team - an achievement he believes would have been beyond his improving side
a few months ago.
Chelsea frustrated Liverpool in the first half on Sunday's match at Anfield
before Sadio Mane's header and Mohamed Salah's sensational strike secured a
2-0 victory for the title chasers.
Things could have been different had Chelsea converted three chances which
came in close succession after Liverpool's quick-fire double, but Sarri was
pleased at his side's resilience against superior opposition.
"We played a good match against wonderful opponents," he told Sky Sports.
"We stayed in the match for 50 minutes.
"After the second goal - a shocking goal in a good way for them, but not for
us - we reacted.
"We had two or three opportunities to score after the second goal with Eden
and Higuain. We were not lucky for sure. We hit the post for the 35th time
in our season.
"Probably at this moment they are better than us, but we are going the right
way. We are improving. Three months ago, we were not able to stay in the
match."
Chelsea stay fourth after the defeat on Merseyside, but their hopes of
qualifying for the Champions League suffered a blow, with their top-four
rivals all having at least a game in hand.
Asked for his assessment on the race for the top four, Sarri added: "It's
not easy of course, but we have to fight to the end.
"It will be very hard for every team in the last month of the season. We can
expect very strange results in last month, because we are tiring like all
the other teams."
top