Chelsea put England assistant Steve Holland top of list to replace Maurizio Sarri

England assistant manager Steve Holland has emerged as a leading contender to take over as Chelsea boss if Maurizio Sarri is sacked.

Sarri is clinging on to his job after a miserable run of form and faces two crucial games in the space of four days that could decide his future: the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday and then the Premier League clash with Tottenham on Wednesday.

Should Chelsea lose both it is hard to see Sarri surviving, and Sportsmail understands that Holland, a former assistant manager at Stamford Bridge, is seen as an ideal caretaker to steer the club to the end of the season.

Steve Holland (right) watched Chelsea’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge  on Monday night alongside his current England boss Gareth Southgate (centre)

Gianfranco Zola had been the leading candidate to take over from Sarri but, as revealed by Sportsmail, he has been re-admitted to hospital after suffering complications following a gallstone operation.

Holland has boosted his reputation as Gareth Southgate’s assistant during their run to the World Cup semi-finals and would need to be convinced to take the job. Chelsea would also need to sweet-talk the FA into letting him balance international and club duties.

But Holland has been in attendance at Stamford Bridge matches in recent days, watching Chelsea’s FA Cup defeat by Manchester United and the win over Malmo in the Europa League. He also saw the UEFA Youth League victory over Monaco at Cobham. 

Holland, 48, worked at Chelsea for eight years before joining Southgate’s set-up in 2016.

He started as reserve-team manager before rising to first-team coach under Andre Villas-Boas and then assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo, Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink and Antonio Conte.

He took caretaker charge of Chelsea for one game in December 2015, a 3-1 win over Sunderland in the Premier League before Hiddink took over for the remainder of the season.