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03-10-2018 | 11:52 Football
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Interview with Evening Standard journalist James Benge: "I think Hazard can be even better than Salah"

Vivaro News Sport interview with Evening Standard journalist James Benge.

Maurizio Sarri has changed the style of Chelsea. He recently told media he will need 4-5 months to adapt his style. How do you evaluate the new role of Eden Hazard? Giroud is more a supporting type of striker, while Morata is having bad time. Can Hazard become a type of Mo Salah for Chelsea?

I think Hazard can be even better than Salah. In terms of raw talent, it’s between him and Kevin De Bruyne for the best player in the league and Hazard looks like he’s having a great time under Sarri, whose full-throttle style is perfect for a player like the Belgian. If you look at what Sarri achieved with Dries Mertens at Napoli I see no reason why Hazard can’t become the top goalscorer in this team, even if he probably won’t be playing the false nine role Mertens played.

West Ham and Everton have had massive transfer campaigns. Both teams have suffered under an “old school” type of football from Big Sam and David Moyes. Manuel Pellegrini and Marco Silva now build an offensive type of football. How do you evaluate the odds of both teams joining the Top-6 in the long-run?

I can’t see either of these teams consistently challenging for a top-six finish as things stand currently. The gap between these two in purely financial terms is vast, though Everton will bridge that when they get their new stadium. West Ham should already be doing so but there’s a lack of a unifying vision at the London Stadium and they spend far too much money on ageing veterans like Pablo Zabaleta and Jack Wilshere. I’ve been impressed with them over the last few games and Felipe Anderson is a great signing but it’ll take a lot longer before I really believe in West Ham.

 Paul Pogba vs Jose Mourinho. The French international’s future has been thrown into further doubt. Who will leave MU first?

I have no doubt Pogba will outlast Mourinho. Increasingly it wouldn’t shock me if the manager is gone before the season is over, certainly, I can’t see him being there in a year’s time. I wouldn’t want to guarantee that Pogba will be at Old Trafford in 12 months but he is an exceptional player and of huge value to United’s commercial operation.

Liverpool seem to be the second candidate to win silverware after Manchester City. Jurgen Klopp's team is now more united and less dependent on Mo Salah. Do you agree with this statement? Can Liverpool finally take the title? How do you evaluate the role of Naby Keita?

Liverpool are certainly less reliant on Salah and that can only be a good thing. The Egyptian is still playing well but it was notable against Chelsea on Saturday that Salah was off form but they still managed to fight their way to a point. Liverpool definitely can win the title but I would be surprised if they did, they simply aren’t quite at Manchester City’s level. Keita will help them and he is the perfect Klopp player, capable of contributing across the field and driving the Reds forward. Once he is well and truly settled in England he could be one of the best, if not the best, midfielders in the league.

Why Unai Emery refused to start Henrikh Mkhitaryan against Watford if he knew the midfielder forced to miss Qarabag fixture

 

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