Ian Wright believes Enzo Maresca’s ‘strange’ comments about Chelsea’s Premier League title credentials have inadvertently harmed the club’s season.
Chelsea emerged as surprise title challengers earlier in the campaign, but Maresca repeatedly said his team were not ready to compete for the Premier League trophy.
Beating Everton just before Christmas would have sent Chelsea to the top of the Premier League, though Liverpool would have had the chance to reclaim top spot with two games in hand.
Instead, Maresca’s side were held to a goalless draw by Sean Dyche’s struggling Everton before Chelsea lost to west London rivals Fulham and relegation-battlers Ipswich Town before the New Year.
Chelsea have continued to struggle at the start of 2025, winning just one of their four league games to slip to sixth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.
Maresca’s comments on Chelsea’s title credentials have therefore come true, but Wright suspects the team would not have suffered this alarming dip had their manager not been so dismissive of their ability to become Premier League champions.
“He didn’t need to say that,” the ex-Arsenal and England striker said on the Wrighty’s House podcast. “He could have just said it in the dressing room. [Former Arsenal manager] George Graham wouldn’t say anything that made you think, Arsene Wenger as well was very positive. When I heard it, I thought it’s almost like giving the players a get out of jail free card if you start playing badly. I found it strange – it didn’t need to be said. At some stage there was going to be some form of drop-off without him saying that and giving them an excuse.”
Wright continued, “He should have just said it’s brilliant and we’re ahead of schedule and we will see where we are. That’s what you do. Nuno [Espirito Santo] would never say something like that about [Nottingham] Forest… just play. It gets into the player’s heads and gives them a get out of jail free card. I’m not saying they would have won the title, but I would like to think they wouldn’t have gone on a run like this after doing so well.”
“They were playing so well and looking so dangerous. I remember sending messages saying Chelsea scare me, Chelsea are dangerous. Why would you throw that [comment] into the mix? If Chelsea get Champions League, magnificent. Now they might be looking at the Europa League with the way it’s dropping off.”
Maresca said Chelsea “cannot compete” with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City in early December despite the team’s impressive first half of the season.
“I think we are not ready to compete with Arsenal, Liverpool, and City for many reasons and because we won today I am not going to change my mind,” he said after an emphatic 3-0 win over Aston Villa.
“But the good thing is we are improving and hopefully very soon we will be there. This was a very good game for many reasons, one is that we played a team that is fantastic and I consider Emery to be a top manager. He has won trophies everywhere and is doing something fantastic at Villa, but also we prepared well for the game and deserved to win.
“We have to live moments to get better these players, some of them in their lives they have played one final and that was the Carabao Cup last year. That is the most important game they have played. Arsenal, Liverpool and City’s players have all played finals and been in title runs. We will be there soon, but that is why we are not ready to compete with those clubs.”
Chelsea will look to get their Premier League campaign back on track on Monday night when they face London rivals West Ham at Stamford Bridge.