(Reuters) – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is under no pressure from the London club to secure a top-four Premier League finish in his debut season in charge, the Italian said on Tuesday ahead of his side’s League Cup trip to Newcastle United.
Chelsea face Eddie Howe’s team for the League Cup round of 16 clash on Wednesday after defeating them 2-1 in Sunday’s league match at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea reached the final of the League Cup last season, losing to Liverpool after extra time, under their previous manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Since succeeding the Argentine, Maresca’s side have lost three out of 14 matches across all competitions. They are fifth in the league standings with 17 points, one behind Arsenal who are third.
“The club never mentioned to me about top four. They always mentioned to me the target was to build something important for the next four or five years,” Maresca told reporters.
“For sure, we work every day to reach something important. Pressure, on the players? I don’t think so, to be honest. If you go game by game, you can see yourself where you are in that moment. If you start to think about top four or top six, you are thinking about June and for me, it’s too far.”
Chelsea had no fresh injury concerns before their League Cup clash and Maresca added that defender Wesley Fofana, who suffered a knock against Newcastle is fit to play.
Asked about former Manchester United player Jadon Sancho, has been an unused substitute in Chelsea’s past two matches, Maresca said, “Players cannot maintain the same level for the whole season because the amount of games is huge, so the last two games he didn’t play simply down to tactical decisions.”
The 24-year-old joined Chelsea on loan from United after falling out with their former boss Erik ten Hag and Maresca added that the winger will have more playing time in the future.
“Jadon has been doing well since he arrived,” Maresca said. “He will play many games and the only thing he has to do is continue to work hard and when we give him a chance, he has to take it.”
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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