Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea have exceeded expectations this season but does not anticipate their Premier League rivals faltering in the title race “like Marc Cucurella.”
The Blues staged an impressive comeback from two goals down to defeat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday, with both of Spurs’ early goals resulting from Cucurella slipping.
Maresca took charge of Chelsea during the summer, succeeding Mauricio Pochettino, who guided the team to a sixth-place finish last season.
Chelsea now sit second in the table, just four points behind leaders Liverpool. However, Liverpool have a game in hand after their Saturday fixture against Everton was postponed due to Storm Darragh.
“We are ahead of my expectation,” said Maresca after the impressive comeback win.
“In terms of the way we play on the ball, off the ball and in terms of the results.”
The Italian, though, does not feel Chelsea are “ready” to challenge for the title yet.
“Arsenal, [Manchester] City and Liverpool probably don’t slide – like Cucurella did,” he added in a tongue-in-cheek reference to the misfortune of his Spanish left-back , who changed his boots after Tottenham’s second goal.
“To be serious, we are not ready. We are far from these teams, but we focus on day-by-day and trying to improve the team.
“The plan or the idea is to not let the players slow down. They cannot drop because they know another player is waiting to come in.”
‘He’s done more than Zola already in 18 months’
Cole Palmer may not have directly influenced Jadon Sancho’s brilliant strike that ignited Chelsea’s comeback at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the England international played a pivotal role in the subsequent three goals, driving the Blues to their derby victory.
The 22-year-old showcased composure by converting a penalty to equalize, followed by a dazzling run and shot that set up Enzo Fernandez’s volley to put Chelsea ahead at 3-2.
Palmer then sealed his standout performance with a cheeky ‘Panenka’ penalty for his second goal, earning comparisons to Chelsea’s legendary players from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
“People fear [him] when he has the ball,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “When you look at Chelsea over the years, you look at flair players and you look at Gianfranco Zola and Eden Hazard. He has probably done more than Zola already in his 18 months at the club.
“He is going to go down as one of the biggest players for Chelsea if he keeps doing what he is doing. He is a very special player, and that’s not just in the Premier League, it is in Europe and world football as well.”
Palmer has taken just 48 Premier League matches to reach 50 goal involvements (33 goals, 17 assists).
He is the fourth quickest to reach that total, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (39), former Newcastle striker Andy Cole (43) and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (46) reaching it in less matches for a club in the competition.
Former Liverpool and Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp added: “Palmer’s move to Chelsea has been life changing.
“The things he does on the ball are frightening. He is a throwback of a player, like he is playing with his mates. It is effortless for him.”