Enzo Maresca has been warned that he is in danger of being sacked by Chelsea at the end of the season unless he turns around their alarming slump. The Blues have won just three of their last 11 games in all competitions, with one of those victories coming against League Two side Morecambe.
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara believes Maresca could be under threat given Chelsea's trigger-happy reputation with previous managers. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Maresca is gone by the end of the season,” O’Hara told Grosvenor Sport. “If Chelsea don’t improve, the club could be looking for a replacement in the summer.”
Maresca earned plaudits earlier in the season for overhauling the squad and creating a cohesive unit, but his side have struggled with consistency. O’Hara pointed to an over-reliance on star player Cole Palmer as a key issue, noting that teams have started man-marking him, leaving Chelsea short of ideas in attack.
“Chelsea dominate possession, but they aren’t creating many clear-cut chances,” O’Hara added. “If you keep Palmer quiet, Chelsea lack ideas going forward.” He also highlighted the absence of Nicolas Jackson up front and suggested the team needs more width and overlapping runs.
Chelsea currently sit sixth in the Premier League table after back-to-back defeats to Brighton, including a 3-0 loss. They face Aston Villa on Saturday, and O’Hara predicts a comfortable 2-0 win for the hosts.
