Chelsea confirm stance on Enzo Maresca sacking after poor run

Maresca’s team has struggled to replicate their impressive early-season form since the start of the year, winning just three of their last 11 games in all competitions.

This worrying downturn has seen the west London club drop to sixth in the Premier League table, sitting 18 points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.

Confidence within the Chelsea squad has undoubtedly taken a hit after last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton, but a win over Aston Villa on Saturday could see Maresca’s side return to the top four.

Chelsea’s strong start under Maresca led some fans and pundits to consider them title contenders, with Cole Palmer and his teammates suffering only three league defeats heading into the busy Christmas period.

Although Maresca consistently dismissed talks of an unlikely title challenge, he has faced increasing pressure during their poor run of form.

However, The Athletic recently reported that Todd Boehly is “happy” with Chelsea’s progress, and club director Goldstein insists Maresca has the full support of the board.

‘He’s doing a great job,’ Goldstein said while appearing on Bloomberg TV in his capacity as the head of real estate investment firm Cain International.

‘Chelsea started the season very well. The last six weeks have been, you know, finding their feet a little bit more.

‘But Enzo has clearly done a great job in bringing the team together, bringing the talent through.

‘We’re very optimistic for the rest of the season in how that plays out.’

Asked if Maresca will still be in the job come the summer, Goldstein said: ‘100 per cent.’

Maresca signed a five-year contract with an option for an additional year when he assumed the managerial role at Stamford Bridge last summer, committing him to the club until 2029.

Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell believes that the team has exceeded expectations in Maresca’s debut season, and securing Champions League qualification should be considered a ‘great achievement.’

‘They are in a project, they’ve overachieved this year,’ Sidwell said on The Dressing Room Podcast.

‘When they got to second in the Premier League and two points behind Liverpool… that wasn’t a true reflection. Since Enzo Maresca said that it has gone the other way.

‘It’s a project, we’ve got to remember that, and if they get top four… well top five gets you Champions League now… which would be a great achievement for them and then you build on that again.’

Sidwell urged Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, and Christopher Nkunku to elevate their performances in the coming weeks, as Nicolas Jackson’s injury poses a significant threat to Chelsea’s season.

He added: ‘When I look at Chelsea now, up until probably Christmas, when they were playing and performing well, it’s all fine and then when they hit a rocky patch it’s a case of who is pulling people together.

‘That shows with the performances. Their first to second half performances have been chalk and cheese in terms of scoring and conceding goals.

‘There are loads of factors. Their backline has been very disjointed with injuries, relying on Cole Palmer. Sancho, Madueke, Nkunku, it’s been a bit unfair with him because he hasn’t had a run of games, but they need to step up to the plate.’