Enzo Maresca has warned Chelsea they cannot rely on Cole Palmer to “solve all our problems” as they prepare for a tough run of Premier League games, starting with Sunday's game against Liverpool.
After the game at Anfield, the head coach will be without the suspended Mark Gugurella and Wesley Fobana in defense, with the Blues playing Newcastle in the league before traveling to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
Arsenal will then travel to Stamford Bridge to close a three-week break in which Maresca's potential will be thoroughly analyzed over the first seven games.
Chelsea are fourth in the league and Palmer has been key to their excellent start, scoring six goals in seven games and becoming the first Premier League player to score four goals in the first half against Brighton.
However, he insisted that Palmer should not expect Palmer to do everything, without affecting the team's fluidity or regularity, with a strength that would be enviable for Maresca, who has alternated a different eleven for League and Cup matches.
“If we think Cole is going to solve all our problems, that's a big mistake,” he said. “We put all the pressure on his shoulders and that was wrong.”
Coach Noni Madueke highlighted the contributions of Pedro Neto, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Enzo Fernández. “We have the goalkeeper, but we have many players who are doing well,” he said. “It's not just about the goalkeeper, it's about the whole team.”
With seven goals, Nkunku is the team's top scorer this season, but only one has come in the league – the one in the 1-0 win at Bournemouth last month. Maduke, who scored a hat-trick against Wolves in August, has five in all competitions, while Jackson has four.
Victory at Anfield would be Chelsea's first since March 2021 and would allow them to move within one point of Arne Slott's team at the top after seven games.
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Manchester City, who won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and Arsenal were left out of Maresca's squad at the weekend, although the Italian previously said he did not believe his team were ready to challenge last season's top three. . – he reiterated before Chelsea's trip north.
“For various reasons, I don't see Chelsea being close to these types of clubs at the moment,” he said. “But of course we work every day to get closer, knowing that we have to work together day after day, it takes time to get closer and closer.
“The only way to try to stay close is to focus on the things we need to improve. It's a little difficult to think where we could be in four games. The only thing I can say is that we want to try to do our best on Sunday.
