Sarri: Higuain should use Suarez as inspiration

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri says Gonzalo Higuain should take inspiration from how Luis Suarez adapted to life in England as the Argentinian bids to crack the Premier League.

The striker has made eight appearances in England’s top flight since joining on loan from Juventus in January, scoring just three goals in matches against strugglers Huddersfield Town and Fulham.

He was substituted in the 2-1 win over Cardiff City last weekend and did not make it off the bench for the midweek victory over Brighton and Hove Albion – a game in which Olivier Giroud, his replacement in the starting line-up, scored.

While reiterating his stance that Higuain needs to do more in the closing weeks of the season, Sarri says Higuain can take solace from the dramatic improvement of Suarez after a slow start to life with Liverpool.

The Uruguay international scored just 15 goals in 44 Premier League appearances across his first season-and-a-half after joining from Ajax in January 2011.

After finding his feet, however, he went on to plunder 54 league goals over the next two seasons – form that led to a move to Spanish giants Barcelona.  

Luis Suarez now leads both the scoring charts and assist charts in the Premier League, with 24 and 10 respectively pic.twitter.com/oHCAjL75o8

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) 1 March 2014

Speaking to a media conference ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League fixture against West Ham on Monday, Sarri said: “He has to improve physically and mentally so that he will be useful for us in the last part of the season. 

“It’s not easy in the first months to play in the Premier League. It was a problem for Suarez in the first season at Liverpool but in the second season he scored 23 goals.

“It’s not easy for a striker to play immediately well. I think he needs time to improve his condition and be suitable for the Premier League but I think he is able to do it.”

When asked if he would like Higuain to remain at Stamford Bridge beyond his existing loan deal, Sarri replied: “Yes, but it depends on the club [Chelsea] and it depends on Juventus. The situation is not clear.”