The Boss Enzo Maresca Describes Pre-Match Time as The 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' with the Blues

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca remarked that the build-up to Saturday's win against Everton constituted "the worst 48 hours" he has experienced with the London club.

The Italian offered a rather mysterious message in his after-game media briefing despite earning a 2-0 win at home through strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those three precious points sent Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's drought without a win to four matches.

But, when questioned about the full-back's assist and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly shared his frustration over the previous 48-hour period within the organization.

"How the squad are eager to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I commend them - because with so many issues, they are excelling after a difficult week," he stated.

"Since I joined the club, the previous 48 hours have been the worst because a lot of people failed to back us."

Pressed on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "In general. In general," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at supporters or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."

Injury & Suspension Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent fitness and suspension problems, noting they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.

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

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer playing, we said many times that he's our finest player but we play almost all season without our top player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to recognize because the commitment from the players is remarkable."

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

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

It was unclear what exactly prompted Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the worst of his time as Chelsea manager.

In that timeframe, the Italian had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at the training ground, faced a pre-game press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and secured a win over an in-form Everton side.

It was unclear whether any particular media reports had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an issue related to the club's fans, some of whom have not yet fully embrace him since his arrival from Leicester during July last year.