CHELSEA caput manager Enzo Maresca has 2 games to prevention his job, according to Paul Merson.
The Blues person endured a mixed play nether their caller boss.
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Merson insists Chelsea request to suffice for the Champions LeagueSky SportsHaving been wide considered rubric contenders earlier Christmas, Maresca and Co began dropping down the Premier League array astatine the crook of the year.
They present beryllium down successful seventh and look contention from Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Manchester City for a Champions League spot.
With the top-four contention truthful tight, Merson believes Chelsea cannot spend to driblet immoderate much points successful the coming weeks.
The ex-Arsenal antheral has adjacent suggested that Maresca could find himself retired of the occupation if they don’t triumph the adjacent 2 games.
On Monday, Merson said: “If they don’t triumph their adjacent 2 games, the manager won’t beryllium there.
“They’re playing against 2 of the worst teams to play successful the Premier League for I don’t cognize however agelong successful Southampton and Leicester.
“So, if they don’t triumph those 2 games, helium volition bash good to support his job.
“Chelsea person got to get successful the Champions League. They request the Champions League to support players similar Cole Palmer arsenic helium volition privation to play successful that competition.
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“They volition person to decorativeness successful the apical five, different I dread to deliberation what’s going to happen. I conscionable don’t spot what the program is.
“All the seven-year contracts and these players are not getting immoderate better. How galore of them person been a large success?”
Merson besides enactment guardant a mentation to explicate wherefore Cole Palmer has experienced a drop-off successful form.
He continued: “Even Palmer has struggled now, Palmer needs Nicolas Jackson, and Jackson needs Palmer.
“Without Jackson’s movement, Palmer gets suffocated retired of the game. He hasn’t got immoderate question successful beforehand of him.
“People springiness Jackson stick, but you tin spot however bully helium is present he’s not successful the team.
“Now, each of a sudden, they’ve got thing up front, truthful nary one’s making the runs and Palmer’s got nary space. So he’s getting deeper and deeper. Jackson’s a monolithic miss.”
Chelsea adjacent big Southampton astatine Stamford Bridge connected Tuesday evening earlier travelling to Copenhagen successful the Europa Conference League adjacent Thursday.
They past instrumentality to Premier League enactment to look Leicester City.
Chelsea subordinate ratings vs Aston Villa
By Graham Hill
BLUES keeper Filip Jorgensen’s atrocious underarm howler saw Aston Villa travel from down to bushed Chelsea 2-1 successful the Prem.
Enzo Fernandez’s accelerated opener wrong 9 minutes came from Pedro Neto’s stunning breeze past Ian Maatsen.
But the Blues soon fell isolated aft Man Utd loanee Marcus Rashford’s blistering instauration astatine half-time.
Rashford provided 2 assists for chap January signing Marco Asensio to permission Chelsea successful sixth with 2 Prem wins from 9 games successful 2025.
FILIP JORGENSEN – 4
Horrible mistake for Villa’s precocious victor arsenic Asensio’s changeable squirmed nether his assemblage and done his gloves- ironically helium had made a important prevention earlier that.
MALO GUSTO – 6
Failed to get a decent interaction connected Cash’s shot – and that led to Villa’s 2nd fractional equaliser. Struggled to woody with Rashford’s presence.
TREVOH CHALOBAH – 3
The defender suffered a immense stroke arsenic helium had to travel disconnected aft conscionable six minutes clutching his ribs pursuing a situation from Asensio.
LEVI COLWILL – 6
Found himself with a caller cardinal antiaircraft spouse aboriginal successful the crippled and looked uncertain astatine times.
MARC CUCURELLA – 6
Defending Chelsea’s near flank was not arsenic troublesome arsenic the close manus side, and the Spaniard looked stylish arsenic Villa applied much pressure.
REECE JAMES – 6
Stepped successful for the injured Noni Madueke and took the captain’s armband, had a bully conflict with Cash.
ENZO FERNANDEZ – 6
Right place, close clip to unfastened the scoring, a existent menace aboriginal on, took a booking for the team, fortunate to flight a second.
MOISES CAICEDO – 7
Provided a beardown beingness successful midfield, spotted information aboriginal and halted a fig of Villa raids.
His second-half shot should person provided Chelsea with their winner.
COLE PALMER – 6
Largely quiescent crippled but wasted his accidental to triumph the crippled erstwhile helium collected a Caicedo done shot – but stumbled – that allowed Konsa to wide the shot
PEDRO NETO – 7
Great enactment for the opening extremity erstwhile helium near Maatsen lasting earlier crossing to find Fernandez.
CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU- 5
Hugged the near touchline, should person been progressive more, not arsenic overmuch of a menace arsenic Neto, subbed with 14 minutes to go.
SUBS
TOSIN ADARABIOYO: (for Chalobah, 6mins) – 6
Needed immoderate clip to acceptable successful astatine the backmost aft Chalobah’s injury.
JADON SANCHO: (for Nkunku, 76mins) – 5
Did small to impact the crippled aft coming connected for an ineffective Nkunku.
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