Maurizio Sarri suggests Gonzalo Higuain may have to adjust with a bench role

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said that Gonzalo Higuain may have to adjust with a bench role for the forthcoming Premier League clash against West Ham United. The Argentine has struggled to settle with the Blues since making the temporary switch from Juventus in January, and he has scored just three times from 12 appearances for the club.

Owing to this, Sarri recently opted to bench Higuain with Olivier Giroud getting a run, and the France international took the chance by finding the scoresheet in a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Speaking ahead of the West Ham game, Sarri has said that the former Napoli star requires more time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League and Giroud is more suited for the forthcoming challenge against the Hammers, he told reporters: “I think he [Higuain] needs time to improve his condition and be suitable for the Premier League but I think he is able to do it. We are lucky because we have Giroud and he is in a very good mental and physical condition.”

Giroud has been knocking the door for a starting role over the past month with standout displays in the Europa League and he has eventually got the chance to impress with Higuain dropping to the bench. Still, he can’t rest on his laurels, given Higuain would be determined to reclaim the starting role with strong performances off the bench.

Chelsea are currently equal on points with fourth-placed Arsenal on the table, but they have played an additional game than their London counterparts. At the moment, the Blues don’t have the Champions League destiny in their own hands, but they can put the pressure on the likes of Spurs and Arsenal by building up a winning run. The Blues can of course qualify for the elite competition by winning the Europa League this term.