The Manager Enzo Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as The 'Worst 48 Hours' with the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the preparation to the weekend's victory against Everton was "the worst 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.

The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious message in his post-match press conference despite notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points propelled Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive matches.

Yet, when asked about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca surprisingly shared his frustration over the preceding 48-hour period within the club.

"How the lads are eager to improve has been superb and this is the reason why I praise them - because with a host of problems, they are performing admirably after a tricky week," he said.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst because a lot of people withheld support from us."

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

When questioned if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."

Fitness and Suspension Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension problems, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the season, in addition to being deprived of linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer available, we said many times that he's our top player but we play almost all season minus 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 like people outside to appreciate because the work from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark

It was unclear who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea manager.

In that window, the coach had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, held a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-match news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a victory over an in-form Everton side.

It was unclear whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an issue related to the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester during July last year.