Enzo Maresca breaks Jose Mourinho record as Chelsea beat Liverpool
Enzo Maresca achieved something that no Chelsea manager has since Jose Mourinho in 2014 with his side’s 2-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday.
Chelsea needed a win against Liverpool on Saturday (4 October) to lift spirits at Stamford Bridge after going three league games without three points and winning just two of their previous six games in all competitions.
Enzo Maresca has been under pressure at Chelsea as a result of their inconsistent form, but his side emerged with a vital win against the struggling champions to get back on track prior to the international break.
Moises Caicedo gave the Blues the lead early on with a fantastic strike from the edge of the area, but they were pegged back in the second-half as Cody Gakpo poked home just after the hour mark.
The hosts needed a moment of magic in added-time, and that was exactly what they got as Estevao got on the end of Marc Cucurella’s cross in the 95th minute and Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1.
Chelsea beat Liverpool in consecutive league games for the first time in 11 years
Maresca got a number of things spot on against Liverpool to help his side to victory, with tactical decisions on Alejandro Garnacho and Malo Gusto each proving to be the right calls.
Chelsea’s last game against the Reds saw them win 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in May, and this latest victory has helped them do something that hadn’t been achieved in a long time.
The Blues have won back-to-back Premier League games against Liverpool for the first time since 2014, under Jose Mourinho, who led them to a 2-0 win in April of that year and 2-1 victory in the November.
Mourinho was back at Chelsea with Benfica in midweek, and it seems like Maresca took some inspiration from his legendary status in West London to help his side beat the Reds this weekend.
Maresca should not be under pressure at Chelsea
It is clear that Maresca is as passionate as Mourinho was during his time at Stamford Bridge, with the Italian boss sent-off by Anthony Taylor in the dying embers of their clash against the Reds after he joined in with the players’ wild celebrations.
He is believed to have a credit in the bank among higher-ups at the club after guiding them to two trophies last season, but that has not stopped rumours around his future, especially after a recent run of just one win in five games as they scraped past Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.
Jamie Carragher recently slammed Maresca’s decision-making in the transfer window, as no new goalkeeper arrived to upgrade on Robert Sanchez, but this latest win against Liverpool proves that he has what it takes to lead Chelsea forward this season.
There should be no questioning his position anymore, now that they have proved they can beat the champions, and the Blues should realistically have eyes on a title charge as soon as they can get key players back fit.