Chelsea's Manager Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as The 'Toughest Two Days' with the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the build-up to Saturday's win against Everton was "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian offered a rather mysterious comment in his after-game press conference despite earning a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive outings.

Yet, when questioned about Gusto's assist and general display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his annoyance over the preceding two days at the organization.

"The way the squad want to learn has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with numerous challenges, they are excelling after a complicated week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because a lot of people failed to back us."

Pressed on his meaning, the former Leicester City manager elaborated: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."

When asked if he was referring to 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 very happy with the fans."

Injury and Suspension Crisis

Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension issues, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.

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

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer playing, we said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season without our best player.

"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to appreciate because the commitment from the players is outstanding."

Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Speculation Regarding Maresca's Comments

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

In that period, the coach had returned with his backroom team and players from his native Italy, held a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-game news conference where he appeared at ease, and engineered a victory over an in-form Everton team.

It was not obvious whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, a section of which have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.