MusaShearer: Maresca Under Pressure as Chelsea’s Form Slumps
Premier League icon Alan Shearer has asserted that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is already under pressure following consecutive Premier League defeats.
The Blues’ 3-1 loss to Brighton, despite a controlled first half and an early lead from Enzo Fernández, means the team has taken just eight points from a possible 18 at the start of the season.
A Familiar Story of Self-Sabotage
For the second week running, a match turned on a Chelsea red card. After Trevoh Chalobah was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity, Maresca adopted a defensive posture, making cautious substitutions in an attempt to protect their 1-0 lead.
The strategy initially seemed to be working as Chelsea held on, but defensive errors resurfaced in stoppage time, leading to two late goals that condemned them to a painful defeat.
Shearer’s Verdict
With the expectation of delivering Champions League football, the pressure is mounting on Maresca. Shearer believes the Italian is feeling the heat, stating that losing matches is unacceptable at a club like Chelsea.
“I think as a Chelsea manager, once you accept that position, you know that you are under pressure if you lose matches – and they’ve lost two,” Shearer told BBC Match of the Day. “That’s the rule of management, I guess, but more so when you are at Chelsea. You can’t lose games and they’ve now lost two so I think you understand the situation.”
A Pivotal Week Ahead
Chelsea now face a critical week before the international break with two major fixtures against Benfica in the Champions League and Liverpool in the league.
Maresca desperately needs positive results in both games. The immediate challenge is to find a solution to his team’s tendency for self-destruction and instill a more resilient performance over 90 minutes. Defeats in either match would significantly increase the pressure and risk turning the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge toxic.
Musa
