Maresca Praises Chelsea's Fighting Spirit Despite Draw at Everton

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hailed his team's 'fantastic' performance despite a 0-0 draw at Everton, which denied them the chance to go top of the Premier League.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his satisfaction with his team's “fantastic” performance, despite dropping points in a 0-0 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday. Notably, Maresca was more impressed with this display than their previous 2-1 win over Brentford, highlighting his team's resilience and fighting spirit in a fiercely contested match.

The encounter was marked by challenging, windy conditions, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. However, the goalkeepers on both sides made crucial saves to deny their opponents, while Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson also struck the post in the first half, squandering a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock.

“That was a real game,” Maresca said. “I am very happy because the performance of the boys was fantastic. Sometimes you have to play a different game and we are learning to play a different game. They (Everton) are one of the best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets.

Maresca praised the effort and determination displayed by his team, even though they missed the opportunity to claim the top spot in the Premier League table.

“I said to the players I was more happy than (last week's) game at Brentford. We tried everything. For sure, you can always do something better but we are very happy because this is a tough stadium – not only for us but also in the Premier League.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche is fighting to extend his tenure at the club, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. The team's new owners, the Friedkin Group, will ultimately decide his fate. Despite the uncertainty, Dyche's side has shown resilience, earning five clean sheets in six games. However, they remain just four points above the relegation zone, albeit with a game in hand.

Following the 0-0 draw against Chelsea, Dyche praised his opponents, saying, “I said before the game Enzo Maresca has done a fine job and they have certainly shown the power they have got.” He also reflected on his team's performance, noting, “We could have nicked it. It was two teams going at it in the right way. You have to be willing to put a shift in and I think that was on show today.” Dyche acknowledged the limited scoring opportunities, stating, “Chances were minimal. They had a couple and we had a couple towards the end. We take a point.” Ultimately, Dyche expressed his admiration for his players, saying, “I've never not been proud of these players. We've come through a storm. I respect them.”