Chelsea remain supportive of Enzo Maresca despite their alarming dip in form, which culminated in what the manager himself called their “worst performance of the season.”
Just two months ago, Chelsea had the chance to overtake Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. However, since a goalless draw against Everton, they have managed only three wins in their last eight league games, slipping to sixth place one point outside the Champions League spots.
Their FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton last weekend only deepened concerns, and another defeat to the same opposition on Friday saw frustrated fans voice their discontent.
Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh put Brighton 2-0 up at halftime before Minteh sealed the victory with a third goal in the second half.
Maresca admitted the performance was unacceptable.
“Since I arrived, this is probably the worst performance, especially considering the moment we are in,” he said. “We had the chance to move one point from third place, and instead, we delivered a performance like this. We are very upset and sorry for the fans.”
Fans made their frustration clear, chanting for former owner Roman Abramovich before leaving the stadium early.
However, despite speculation over Maresca’s future, The Athletic reports that Chelsea’s board remains satisfied with his progress.
The club’s leadership believes Maresca is ahead of schedule, as he was not expected to secure Champions League qualification until next season.
Despite their current struggles, Chelsea have spent much of the campaign in the top four and remain just one point behind Manchester City.
Additionally, Maresca has faced significant injury setbacks, with key players such as Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia, and Wesley Fofana sidelined.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed that Chelsea’s hierarchy is still “convinced” that Maresca is the right manager to take the club forward and intends to back him.
However, pundits remain skeptical. Former England defender Jamie Carragher believes Chelsea’s failure to qualify for the Champions League would be disastrous.
“This idea that the project will take three years the best players won’t wait that long,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “You can see the frustration building. Cole Palmer is good enough to compete for the biggest honors.
“Nottingham Forest are third, and Chelsea have spent over a billion pounds. They are playing once a week. They have to qualify for the Champions League if they don’t, it will be a disaster.
“Chelsea has been considered a project for the past few years, but the fans are losing patience. Mauricio Pochettino had a great run at the end of last season, and statistically, there may not be much difference between the two seasons.
That’s a real concern. Chelsea spent big money, and they were already a big club before that spending spree.”
Chelsea will now look to bounce back when they face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa next weekend in a crucial test of their Champions League ambitions.