Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca believes his team is on the cusp of knocking over their Premier League title rivals after an intense 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. The Blues secured a vital point thanks to a 70th minute equalizer from Pedro Neto, canceling out Gabriel Martinelli’s opener for the Gunners on the hour mark.
Blues Showing Promise Under Maresca
While Chelsea currently sit third in the Premier League table, they are still searching for a signature win over the top teams under new boss Enzo Maresca. Earlier defeats to rivals Manchester City and Liverpool have left the Blues with something to prove. But Maresca saw enough positives in the performance against Arsenal to feel his side are close to turning the corner.
“Very soon we will win these kinds of games – the performance is important,” Maresca declared post-match. “If you draw tonight and you didn’t play well, you would be happy. But look – soon we will win. The performance was good.”
Belief Growing at the Bridge
There is a growing sense at Stamford Bridge that Maresca’s methods are starting to take hold. Despite the club undergoing a period of transition, expectations remain as high as ever for the Blues to compete with the Premier League’s best.
“We are behind these kinds of clubs like City and Arsenal as they’ve worked every day with the same manager,” Maresca acknowledged. “But Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world and we need to compete and try to win games. We tried to compete and very soon we will win these kinds of games.”
Key Players Emerge for Chelsea
Against Arsenal, Chelsea were boosted by the return of promising attacker Cole Palmer, who had been an injury doubt after a heavy challenge in the previous match against Manchester United. While Palmer finished the game with a slight limp, Maresca stressed it was nothing serious.
“I don’t think we took any risks,” said the Chelsea manager. “[Palmer’s] performance was very good. He’s in a bit of pain now, but it’s not something important.”
Maresca was also quick to defend his decision to substitute winger Noni Madueke in the 68th minute, who looked visibly frustrated at being withdrawn.
“The problem is when you change a player, they are never happy,” Maresca explained. “At that moment we saw a different way. We thought Pedro [Neto] with [Jurrien] Timber could be more aggressive – so it was a tactical decision.”
Blues Ready for Title Tilt
Chelsea’s ability to secure a result against an in-form Arsenal will give Maresca belief that his team are on the right track. With key players fit and firing, and tactical tweaks paying off, the Italian has Chelsea well positioned to mount a serious title challenge.
The Blues will look to build on this momentum after the international break and finally claim a statement victory over one of their Big Six rivals. If Maresca’s prediction rings true, it may not be long before Chelsea are back on top of the Premier League mountain.
