The Boss Enzo Maresca Labels Pre-Match Time as The 'Worst Two Days' at the Club

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the preparation to Saturday's triumph against Everton was "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian made a puzzling message in his after-game interview even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points lifted Chelsea once again into the English top flight's top four, perhaps lightening the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive fixtures.

However, when questioned about Gusto's contribution and general display, Maresca unexpectedly shared his annoyance over the previous two days within the club.

"How the players are eager to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with numerous challenges, they are doing very well after a tricky week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people withheld support from us."

When pushed further on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he answered: "In general. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are very happy with the fans."

Injury & Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary issues, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for much of the season, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.

"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer there, we said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season without our best player.

"We play five games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to recognize because the effort from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's triumph over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

It was ambiguous who or what prompted Maresca to describe the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea manager.

In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, held a session at the training ground, attended a pre-game press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton team.

It was not obvious whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if online discourse were a factor, or if it was something more significant from within the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester during July last year.