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Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring for Chelsea

Lift for under-fire Sarri as his Chelsea side stroll into Europa League last 16

Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley and Callum Hudson-Odoi all scored second-half goals as Chelsea swept aside Malmo.

CHELSEA WARMED UP for the EFL Cup final with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Malmo to secure a place in the Europa League’s last 16, winning 5-1 on aggregate.

Olivier Giroud and Ross Barkley, who were both on target in establishing a a 2-1 first-leg advantage in Sweden seven days ago, grabbed second-half goals before Callum Hudson-Odoi marked his recall with the third.

Maurizio Sarri will still head into this weekend’s daunting match against Manchester City with doubts hanging over his long-term future, a situation that was helped little by a sluggish first half.

But a sharper showing after the restart – and Rasmus Bengtsson’s sending off for two yellow cards - led to three goals in 29 minutes and averted further pressure from building on the under-fire Italian.

Sarri’s seven changes failed to stave off the early sloppiness, with Markus Rosenberg scuffing a left-footed effort past the right-hand post in the 13th minute.

Cesar Azpilicueta turned a low cross from Willian into goalkeeper Johan Dahlin at close range but an otherwise subdued first half invited a smattering of boos at the break.

The home side clicked into gear 10 minutes after the interval. N’Golo Kante led a counter-attack and slipped a pass to Willian, who squared for Giroud to tap home.

Any hope Malmo had of mounting an unlikely comeback quickly disappeared when the dismissal of Bengtsson was followed 60 seconds later by Barkley’s brilliant free-kick, the midfielder classily bending the ball up and over the wall.

That paved the way for teenager Hudson-Odoi – a Bayern Munich transfer target throughout January - to further enhance his claims for a regular starting spot with an unerring low finish into the bottom-left corner in the 84th minute that wrapped up the serene 5-1 aggregate success.

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    Mute Declan Snow
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:04 PM

    Surely he shouldn’t be admitting this?

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:32 PM

    @Declan Snow: 100% should receive a one match ban. For doing it and even more for being so open and proud of it.

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    Mute kev egan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:05 PM

    Why would you come out and admit doing this…!!

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    Mute Dan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:16 PM

    1 1 in Germany with 5 mins to go and every Liverpool player should go down holding their leg.

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    Mute Gary O'Rourke
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:23 AM

    @Dan: no point doing that when it’s 3-1 to Bayern you gimp

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    Mute Johnno Byrne
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:08 PM

    Did he also reveal that water is wet? Cue the outrage. Even though every team does it

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:38 PM

    Iv said it before if a players goes down and match has to be stopped, they should have to go off for a minimum period of time say 3 minutes. See how quickly all this would stop.

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    Mute Ted Logan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 5:15 PM

    @Cormac Flanagan: and what about genuine cases? Want the oppositions star striker off for 3 minutes? “Accidentally stand on his toes at a corner….

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:58 PM

    @Ted Logan: if it’s genuine then he will require time for treatment anyway. Or be substituted. And if the star striker gets targeted it’s up to the ref/VAR to sort it out.

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    Mute Peter Govan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:40 PM

    Football players fake injury , shocker

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    Mute Michael
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:21 PM

    That game was like playing fifa being a goal up at the end and just passing about killing time at the same time pissing off the other player

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:20 PM

    Ramos is still a (unt though right?

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    Mute Brian Les
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:34 PM

    Good thing Bielsa didn’t say this. 200k find incoming

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    Mute Tricksy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:05 PM

    Well , there’s a surprise . He won’t have any bad feelings so if Liverpool are ahead and develop a lot of cramp ! How does these guys become managers ? A silly admittance . Half time ….. hope next game is better than the anfield one .

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:19 PM

    Kick em out of the competition

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    Mute James Clancy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:41 PM

    @Hardly Normal: Harsh.

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:00 PM

    @James Clancy: I know ya but still

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    Mute Noel Lillis
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:30 PM

    This is worse than Beckham gettin the yellow card

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