MAURIZIO SARRI’S Chelsea clinched the top spot in their Europa League group on Thursday night thanks to a resounding victory over PAOK Salonika.

Goals from Olivier Giroud, who scored twice in an impressive performance by the Frenchman, as well as youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi and substitute Alvaro Morata saw off the Greek side.

Defender Yevhen Khacheridi’s sixth-minute red card left the visitors floundering. They were unable to recover. On the evening, Chelsea were rarely troubled.

Sarri, however, reserved praise for 18-year-old Hudson-Odoi, but said he still was short of a regular place in the first team.

“I don’t know if he is able for the Premier League at 18, especially in a big team,” said the Italian manager, who saw his young star score his first goal for the club.

“If he’s already ready now to make a difference in the team like Chelsea, he would be the best player in Europe in two years.”

On 26 minutes, Giroud scored a well-worked opener after firing low beyond goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis.

Soon after, Giroud converted a chipped pass from Cesc Fabregas, firing beyond Paschalakis with a fine, left-footed volley.

Chelsea’s unbeaten league start to the season ended in a humbling defeat by London rivals Tottenham last weekend.

Sarri made wholesale changes to that team, with just goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga starting against the Greek side.

With many of the first team rested, Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek provided much of the forward momentum.

Chelsea came into the match having qualified for the last 32 of this competition. However, after two games without a win, they needed a return to form in order to keep the pressure on their title-chasing opponents.

Sarri’s men are entering a busy period that will stretch the squad. The west Londoners have nine matches in December, starting with the visit of Fulham.

Eden Hazard sat out this game with an ankle problem but should be back for tomorrow’s match against Claudio Ranieri’s men, as will Sarri’s other first-team regulars.

“In the last match, the big problem was the team, not one or two players,” added the manager. “I think that if there were two different players, it would have been the same.

“But I am very happy that we approached this match well, because, in the past three matches, we had big problems to get into the game. “

Their final group match is the dead rubber against Hungarian side MOL Vidi in December.