Enzo Maresca is in danger of losing his job at Chelsea unless results improve after one win in seven league games in January. football news

With one win in seven Premier League games, Enzo Maresca must improve Chelsea’s results quickly if he is to keep his job.

Two frustrating and lackluster performances against Aston Villa and Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge over the holidays increased the pressure on the Italians.

Maresca’s fortunes were on the rise after Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0 in November, leaving him three points adrift of the top of the table, but a series of self-inflicted injuries, some questionable decisions and heavy defeats at Leeds United, Atalanta and Villa have left him under more pressure than ever.

He revealed the tensions between him and his employers at Stamford Bridge in early December when he made incendiary comments after the team’s defeat to Everton, saying the days leading up to the game had been his “worst 48 hours” at the club and that “a lot of people” did not support him or the team.

As we all know, football is a results business. Maresca will take over as Chelsea manager in 2025 but is unlikely to stick around until the end of January unless results improve quickly.

This is the second consecutive winter season in which Chelsea have lost their way under Maresca. Last season they won just two league games between mid-December and the last week of February.

This year, it could be a big January for Maresca, which includes nine games in four games.

Chelsea players had two days of rest following Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. They will resume training on Friday in preparation for Sunday’s game against Manchester City, live sky sports.

Chelsea were one point ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League just over five weeks ago, but they travel to Manchester 10 points behind Pep Guardiola’s side and 15 points off winning position this season.

Are there problems behind the scenes at Chelsea?

Sky Sports News Chief Correspondent Kave Solkhkol:

“There seems to be something wrong with Chelsea. Back in November they were on a roll after beating Barcelona in the Champions League but they have only won two of nine games since then.

His comments after Chelsea’s win over Everton were self-inflicted, saying the days leading up to the game had been his “worst 48 hours” at the club and that “a lot of people” didn’t support him. He didn’t need to make those comments, but they revealed something not quite right behind the scenes at Chelsea.

“When you are at Chelsea you are not the manager, you are the manager and you have to adapt to the existing structure of the club. Maresca has to work closely with the sporting director and there has to be a team behind the squad.

“The question is: Is this team united, or are there issues behind the scenes with the team? Can those issues be resolved?”

“The other question I want to ask is do these issues affect performance and results?

“With the quality of players they have in Chelsea’s squad and the performances we saw against Barcelona and Arsenal, they have a very good squad but for whatever reason right now Maresca is not getting the best out of those players.

“You can feel it at Stamford Bridge. You can feel the disconnect between the team and the fans and that needs to be reversed very quickly.”

Analysis: Maresca and Chelsea have no chance of playing football

Ron Walker, Sky Sports:

“At the end of last season, Enzo Maresca led a young Chelsea side back to the Champions League, then the Division One and Club World Cup, and it felt like there was a chance to make something of a mark.

“How much progress has been made after six months? Judging by the boos during and after the Blues’ recent poor record against Bournemouth, not much.

“Looking at the Premier League table, it seems like a harsh assessment, Chelsea are doing well in the race for Champions League places.

“But just as Frank Lampard becomes the last managerial casualty of the Abramovich era, the problem lies in the way forward. At the middle of the 2025/26 season they are five points adrift of where they were at this time last year and are drifting.”

“Maresca finds himself responsible for much of the problem, though not all. Over-rotation has been a chronic problem – Chelsea have made 55 squad changes this season, with bottom-placed Wolves the only team to make more than 50.

“Not all of this was due to his own fault. The team remains woefully short of depth in some areas and inexperienced almost throughout – the starting XI against Bournemouth was the youngest to feature in any Premier League game this season.

“Maresca has been rightly praised for his tactics that won the Club World Cup in the summer, but little progress has been made in wider terms. He calls himself a big-match manager – and wins against Liverpool and Barcelona at Stamford Bridge this season, plus a 10-man draw with Arsenal, are fair testament to that.

“But that run of 21-7 has included a loss to Leeds United and a drop of four points against a side without a win in nine games against Bournemouth. If Trevor Chalobah is penalized for what appears to be a blatant penalty, the game against Newcastle could also count as a defeat.”

“At times, it seems like a connection is forming between Maresca and the fans. Two trophies last season and the jubilant scenes after the win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season come to mind.

“But scathing comments in public have not helped these fans develop the us-against-the-world mentality they have had over the past two decades under Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel and even Frank Lampard.

“Ultimately, only results can turn things around for Maresca. That’s the cold hard currency that buys the coach time at Chelsea.”

Chelsea’s January fixtures A crucial month for Maresca looms…

able Enzo Maresca promote chelseaThe results for January?

The Blues have some tough fixtures ahead…

Sunday, January 4: Manchester City (guest) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm (live sky sports)
Wednesday, January 7: Fulham (guest) – Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm (live sky sports)
Saturday, January 10th: Charlton (guest) – FA Cup, kick-off 8pm (live sky sports)
Wednesday, January 14: Arsenal (home) – Carabao Cup, kick-off 8pm (live sky sports)
Saturday, January 17th: Brentford (home) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
Wednesday, January 21st: Paphos (main) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
Sunday, January 25: Crystal Palace (guest) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm (live sky sports)
Wednesday, January 28: Naples (guest) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
Saturday, January 31st: West Ham United (home) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm (live sky sports)