Chelsea are second in the Premier League standings but manager Enzo Maresca played down talk of title pressure and said on Tuesday that he is only focused on areas where his team could improve.
Chelsea are on 35 points, four behind first-placed Liverpool, and play at Fulham in a West London derby on Thursday.
Maresca’s side were denied an opportunity to top the table after a goalless draw with Everton over the weekend which also snapped Chelsea’s run of eight straight wins in all competitions and five in a row in the Premier League.
“We are ahead of our expectation in terms of the way we are playing and points. For us, the main focus is to see how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team,” Maresca told reporters.
“It’s the reality for me, not about the pressure (of going for the title). I would like that kind of pressure. I say we are not there because that is the reality for me. The main point is to continue to improve and to win games.”
Chelsea are already eight points ahead of struggling defending champions Manchester City, who are seventh, but Maresca said Pep Guardiola’s side could still bounce back in the title race.
“It’s almost halfway so the table reflects the teams and where they are. Liverpool are doing fantastic since the first day,” Maresca said.
“…I think Manchester City in the end will be there. They are living something that probably never happened before. They have a new injury at the end of every game. It is a very bad situation.”
Chelsea have defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile sidelined with long-term injuries.
Maresca said midfielder Romeo Lavia will also miss Thursday’s fixture as he is recovering from his thigh injury. Mykhailo Mudryk is suspended after an adverse analytical finding in an anti-doping test. The Ukrainian has denied knowingly taking any banned substance.
