Maresca Plays Down Chelsea's Title Chances Despite Strong Start

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca remains cautious on his team's title hopes, saying Manchester City will still be a contender despite their struggles.

Chelsea's goalless draw with Everton over the weekend not only denied them the opportunity to claim top spot in the Premier League, but also brought an end to their impressive winning streak. The team had previously secured eight consecutive victories in all competitions and five straight wins in the league.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has chosen to focus on the positives, acknowledging that his team is exceeding expectations. “We are ahead of our expectation in terms of the way we are playing and points,” Maresca stated. He emphasized that his primary concern is not the pressure of competing for the title, but rather continuous improvement. “For us, the main focus is to see how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team,” he explained. Maresca also expressed his desire to be in a position where his team is genuinely competing for the title. “It's the reality for me, not about the pressure. I would like that kind of pressure. I say we are not there because that is the reality for me. The main point is to continue to improve and to win games.”

Chelsea's strong start to the season has seen them open up an eight-point gap over defending champions Manchester City, who are struggling in seventh place. However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca believes it's premature to count Manchester City out of the title race just yet.

As the season approaches its halfway point, Maresca acknowledged that the current table reflects the teams' performances so far. “It's almost halfway so the table reflects the teams and where they are,” he said. Maresca also praised Liverpool's consistent form, noting, “Liverpool are doing fantastic since the first day.” Despite Manchester City's current struggles, Maresca expects them to bounce back and contend for the title. “...I think Manchester City in the end will be there,” he predicted. Maresca also expressed sympathy for Manchester City's injury woes, stating, “They are living something that probably never happened before. They have a new injury at the end of every game. It is a very bad situation.”

Chelsea's injury list continues to be a concern for manager Enzo Maresca, with defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile currently sidelined with long-term injuries. Adding to Maresca's woes is the absence of midfielder Romeo Lavia, who will miss Thursday's match as he recovers from a thigh injury.

The team will also be without Mykhailo Mudryk, who is serving a suspension due to an adverse analytical finding in an anti-doping test. Mudryk has maintained that he did not knowingly take any banned substance, and the situation is currently being addressed.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca remains skeptical about his team's chances of winning the Premier League title. Despite Chelsea's impressive start to the season, which has seen them rise to second place in the standings, Maresca continues to downplay talk of title pressure.

Speaking on Tuesday, Maresca emphasized that his focus is solely on identifying areas where Chelsea can improve. With 35 points from their matches so far, Chelsea trail leaders Liverpool by four points. The team's next challenge comes in the form of a West London derby against Fulham on Thursday.