March 16 ― Chelsea have found defensive stability in recent weeks and must focus on sharpening their attacking edge in the home stretch of the Premier League season as they chase a top-four finish, manager Maurizio Sarri has said.

Sarri’s side have conceded 12 goals in their three league defeats this year but have tightened up at the back since, letting in only two goals in their last seven matches in all competitions.

"We’re looking consistent in terms of defensive solidity. We’re conceding less... in this moment the most important thing for us is to be solid,” Sarri told the club’s website ahead of tomorrow’s league trip to 11th-placed Everton.

"We’re more consistent with results, but not at the moment with performances, especially in the offensive phase. Sometimes we’ve played with good quality, sometimes not. We need to start in the offensive phase playing every match with same ideas.”

The sixth-placed London club have scored league 50 goals so far, the fewest among teams in the top six and Sarri is well aware of the need to regain their cutting edge.

"At the moment we are not able to do this, because sometimes we are without movement without the ball, sometimes we didn’t attack balls in the box very well,” the Italian added.

"Sometimes we didn’t attack spaces behind the line of the opponent well. We need to have consistency in this.”  ― Reuters