Eden Hazard Says Maurizio Sarri's Style More Suited to Him Than Jose Mourinho's

Chelsea star Eden Hazard has praised the philosophy of manager Maurizio Sarri and has said the brand of football at Stamford Bridge is more in line with his qualities than what was used by former boss Jose Mourinho.

Following a 6-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, the style of play utilised by the Chelsea manager has come in for criticism. Sarri appears wedded to operating in a possession-based way and in a 4-3-3 setup.

Speaking about the different managers he has worked under in his career to the Chelsea website (h/t Zinny Boswell of Sky Sports), Hazard said Sarri's methods are drawing more from him than the likes of Mourinho's:

"All the managers I've played for have given me something. From when I started with Claude Puel at Lille, to now with Maurizio Sarri. They all see football in different ways which is why I'm the player I am. They have all given me important advice.

"Jose Mourinho was special, but the way Sarri and Rudi Garcia [former Lille coach] like to play is more like my philosophy of football, but they've all given me a lot."

The statistics would appear to back up Hazard's assessment, as he's on course for one of his best-ever seasons, as he's scoring and creating goals at a rapid pace:

There appears to be major doubts as to whether Hazard, who now has 12 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League, and Sarri will continue their unison for much longer.

For starters, the manager is under pressure after the City defeat. When Sarri was asked if he was expecting a call from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich after that mauling, he said to Sky in Italy (h/t Sky Sports), "If the president calls, I'll be happy, seeing as I never hear from him."

Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph thinks sacking the Italian now would leave the club in a difficult situation:

In addition, Hazard is consistently linked with a possible transfer to Real Madrid. In the summer, he will have just a year remaining on his Chelsea contract, and he recently told RMC (h/t Joe Krishnan of the Evening Standard) he has "made a decision" regarding his future.

Mark Ogden of ESPN believes the Blues have failed to adequately replace their elite players in recent years:

Sarri has used Hazard in his preferred position on the left flank and as a false nine this season. Throughout their time working together, the common theme has been the freedom the Belgium international has been afforded in the attacking third.

While the pair may align well, it would be a surprise if they were in the same dressing room again next season. If either Sarri or Hazard was to move on, it would only add to the instability that is hindering the club.