Maurizio Sarri welcomed Kepa Arrizabalaga back to the Chelsea first team yesterday but refused to confirm whether he will regain the No 1 spot.

Sarri was rewarded by his players for the bold decision to drop Arrizabalaga with a determined 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, after the goalkeeper had refused to be taken off in last Sunday’s League Cup final defeat.

If reports were to be believed, defeat to Spurs would be the final nail in Sarri’s coffin. While the decision to drop the defiant stopper for Willy Caballero took nobody by surprise, it ensured the Italian won a small personal battle, demonstrating exactly who was in control.

Sarri explained after the match that dropping the Spaniard was the best course of action following his insubordination but kept his next move close to his chest.

“Is he the No1? Of course,” Sarri said. 

“I think that it was the right decision. Kepa made a big mistake. He paid with the club then he had to pay with the team. But now I think that we have to stop, Kepa from tomorrow will be with us.

“Of course I don’t know if in the next match he will be on the pitch or not, but in one of the next two for sure. 

“We cannot kill him. When you are young I think that you can make mistakes. The most important thing is that you need to understand very well after every mistake. For me the question is closed.” 

Sarri explained to TV cameras ahead of kick-off that he was sending a clear “message to the group.” 

Speculation swelled that he had lost control of things at Stamford Bridge but this game proved the contrary as his players fought tooth and nail for every challenge and every ball to deliver a vital three points for their hopes of a top-four finish. 

The win keeps Chelsea within touching distance of Arsenal in fourth place and another victory in their game in hand will draw them level on points.

“It was really very important tonight because we’re fighting for the top four,” Sarri said of the win.

“I don’t know but I think maybe with this result we could involve Tottenham in this fight. The gap is very large, seven points, but we have one match [in hand].”