Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s manager, has stated that the club is not yet prepared to compete with Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title, despite an impressive start to the season. The Blues currently sit fourth in the league table and lead in goals scored with 15 after winning four of their six league games under Maresca.
Cole Palmer has emerged as a standout player, having scored four first-half goals against Brighton last week. Demonstrating the squad’s depth, Maresca rotated the entire starting lineup for Thursday’s 4-2 victory over Gent in the Europa Conference League.
However, three months into his tenure, Maresca downplayed any expectations of challenging the league’s established top two. “I really don’t think we can compete with City and Arsenal. I really think that, because we are not ready,” he said. He emphasized the importance of continuity, noting that City have had their manager for nine years and Arsenal for five years, highlighting that such stability is crucial for competing at the highest level.
Chelsea will be looking to secure their fourth consecutive league win when they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The atmosphere around the club has improved significantly since Forest’s last visit to Stamford Bridge a year ago, where they handed Chelsea a 1-0 defeat during a difficult phase for the club. Despite a mixed bag of results since then, Chelsea’s lavish spending over the past two years may finally be starting to pay off.