The Boss Enzo Maresca Describes Lead-Up Time as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Blues

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca remarked that the build-up to Saturday's triumph against Everton constituted "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.

The 44-year-old delivered a rather mysterious statement in his after-game interview even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the mood following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's drought without a win to consecutive fixtures.

However, when questioned about Gusto's assist and overall display, Maresca surprisingly divulged his displeasure over the preceding two days within the organization.

"How the lads want to develop has been fantastic and this is the explanation why I commend them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a difficult week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people withheld support from us."

When pushed further on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss elaborated: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he responded: "In general. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are very happy with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been missing star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to 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 without Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing brilliantly. Today was five games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season without our top player.

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

Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled next week.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Remark

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

In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from Bergamo, held a training session at Cobham, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed relaxed, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton team.

It was hard to discern whether any specific media reports had irked him, if online comments were a factor, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to deny that it was an matter related to the club's supporters, some of whom have still have yet to fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.