Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has achieved a remarkable feat, becoming the first Premier League manager to win his first three away games since his former mentor, Pep Guardiola, did so in 2016. However, Maresca remained humble, downplaying the significance of this milestone. He attributes the success to the progress his young Chelsea squad is making, while acknowledging there’s still room for improvement.
“The way the players are buying the idea, or the different style, since I arrived has been top. I think we are on the right path, we are in the right direction. But this is a long journey,” Maresca told reporters after Chelsea’s dominant 3-0 victory against West Ham on Saturday. This win was a testament to the team’s development, with Nicolas Jackson scoring two goals and Cole Palmer adding another to seal the victory.
Maresca, who served as an assistant manager under Guardiola at Manchester City, has taken the reins at Chelsea at a crucial time. The club, under new American ownership since 2022, is desperate to regain its status as a powerhouse in English and European football. After finishing 12th two seasons ago and sixth in the last campaign, Chelsea is on a mission to return to the top.
Co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali witnessed the impressive performance at the London Stadium and expressed their satisfaction with the team’s progress. They joined the players and coaching staff in the changing room after the match, highlighting the unity within the club.
“They were in the changing room, they were all happy. The main target at this moment is to see how we progress as a team and I think we are improving many things even if today we could attack better, we could defend better,” Maresca said.
Maresca believes that a cohesive team will soon emerge from the influx of new players who have joined Stamford Bridge in recent months. Among these additions are winger Jadon Sancho and defender Tosin Adarabioyo, both of whom made their first starts for Chelsea against West Ham. “It’s just a matter of time. I said at the beginning the most important thing is how the players they have bought since we arrived here work together, and this is the most important thing,” the Italian manager said.
Meanwhile, West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui, who is also adjusting to his new surroundings in London, expressed his frustration with his team’s performance. He attributed the defeat to defensive errors that allowed Chelsea to score two early goals. Lopetegui called for patience from the fans, emphasizing that his team will improve with time. “For sure this group of players they are going to improve and they are going to have time to give the fans the best days that they deserve. We feel their support, their ambition and of course today is a bad day for all of us,” the Spaniard said.
