Enzo Maresca does not believe his Chelsea side are contenders for the Premier League title despite an impressive start to the season in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.
Victory over Aston Villa on Sunday would mark their seventh win in 13 league games under the Italian, who succeeded Mauricio Pochettino as manager in June.
Heading into the weekend, Chelsea sat third in the table, level on 22 points with Arsenal and Brighton, one point behind Manchester City, and nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
Chelsea are aiming to secure a return to the Champions League after two seasons away, with Maresca crafting an effective side from a previously bloated squad.
However, the 44-year-old manager was quick to dismiss suggestions that the Blues could challenge Manchester City’s four-year dominance this season.
“No,” he said when asked if Chelsea were in the title race. “I’ve said many times I don’t like the pressure. I don’t like to say, ‘Yes, we’re there,’ because we’re not there.
“Arsenal are ahead of us, City are ahead of us, Liverpool are showing they’re ahead of us. The important thing is that we improve game after game, and then we’ll see.
“For me, it’s not about points or the table—it’s about the process and the programme. Arsenal have been together for five years, City for nine. Liverpool are different, but they haven’t made many changes from before. It’s not just about the points on the table; it’s about the time spent together.”
With Liverpool and Manchester City set to face each other on Sunday, Chelsea have a chance to close the gap on the teams above them, but Maresca urged caution.
“You have to be realistic,” said Maresca. “You can see the difference between us and the rest at this moment. That doesn’t mean we won’t compete and win games. We will do that until the end. The main focus has to be the feeling that we’re improving game after game.”
AFP