Gianfranco Zola says Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri needs time to adapt to Premier League, just like Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola did

Gianfranco Zola believes under-pressure Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri needs time to adapt to the Premier League, just like Pep Guardiola did with Manchester City.

Sarri’s Stamford Bridge future has been thrown into doubt following three defeats from four league games, including a 6-0 thrashing at City earlier this month.

Guardiola struggled in his debut campaign at the Etihad, finishing trophyless and 15 points behind 2016/17 Premier League winners Chelsea.

But the Spaniard turned City’s fortunes around by winning his first top-flight title in England last season.

Ahead of Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie with Manchester United, which is live on talkSPORT, Blues assistant boss Zola said: “Two years ago, you were probably asking the same questions to Pep Guardiola.

“You were asking if he’d keep playing from the back all the time. He said this was not in discussion and part of my game, even in the difficult moment. Maybe he adapted.

“He has improved a lot in that, because he got his team defending better and pressing better, attacking better. He has adjusted something but not the way he saw football.

“There are questions about what we’re doing, a lot of doubts, but we are trying to adapt to the league.

“But we don’t change what we believe is good for this club because, otherwise, we are nothing.

“You admire what Pep has done. Certainly he’s a good inspiration. Not everything comes together straight away.”

Guardiola has been backed heavily by City chiefs, spending £448million on players since arriving in 2016.

Zola is unsure whether Sarri would need similar transfer funds to transform Chelsea’s fortunes.

But he feels the Blues should be getting more from their under-performing stars.

Zola added: ”I can’t say we’re going to buy this or that. That’s not my position.

“There is a collaboration between Maurizio and Marina (Granovskaia, club director), and they will come up with the right things.

“We have players here who can do even more than what they’re doing, and we can go far as a team.

“Whether we are going to go for other players, I don’t know.”