Enzo Maresca has downplayed any talk of Chelsea being in the Premier League title race, despite a strong start to his first season at Stamford Bridge.
A win over Aston Villa on Sunday would give Chelsea their seventh victory in 13 league matches under the Italian, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino as manager in June.
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Heading into the weekend, Chelsea sat third in the league, level on 22 points with Arsenal and Brighton, one point behind Manchester City, and nine points off the table-topping Liverpool.
With the aim of securing a return to the Champions League after two seasons of absence, Maresca has built a solid team from a squad previously seen as overcrowded. However, the 44-year-old was quick to dismiss suggestions that Chelsea could break Manchester City’s four-year title run this season.
“No,” he said when asked whether they were in the title race. “I said many times I didn’t like the pressure. I didn’t like to say ‘Yes we are there’, but we are not there.
“Arsenal are ahead of us, City is ahead of us, Liverpool showing they are ahead of us. The important thing is we improve game after game and then we will see.
“For me, it is not about points or the table, it is about the process and the programme. Five years together (Arsenal), nine together (City). Liverpool is different but they didn’t make too many changes from before. It’s not about the points difference on the table, it is about the time together.”
Liverpool and City are meeting on Sunday, giving Chelsea the chance to make up ground on the teams above them but Maresca urged caution.
“You have to be realistic,” said Maresca. “You can see the difference between us and the rest in this moment. It doesn’t mean we are not going to compete and win games. We will do that to the end. The main focus has to be the feeling we are improving game after game.”
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