Chelsea’s next two league games appear must-win ones. They host rock-bottom Southampton tomorrow night (Tuesday) before welcoming struggling Leicester on Sunday, March 9.
A trip to Denmark to face Copenhagen in Europe is sandwiched in between, but according to Paul Merson, that clash will have no bearing on Maresca’s future. Instead, it’s the two games at Stamford Bridge that the Sky pundit believes could spell the end of his tenure.
“If they don’t win their next two games, the manager won’t be there,” he said. “They’re playing against two of the worst teams to play in the Premier League for I don’t know how long in Southampton and Leicester. So, if they don’t win those two games, he will do well to keep his job.”
However, even if Chelsea prevail in both games, Merson thinks the stay of execution will only last until the summer if Chelsea doesn’t return to Europe’s elite competition. “Chelsea have got to get in the Champions League,” he added.
“They need the Champions League to keep players like Cole Palmer, as he will want to play in that competition. They will have to finish in the top five; otherwise, I dread thinking about what’s going to happen.”
Maresca arrived from Leicester last June following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino. He was the third permanent manager through the door since Todd Boehly became involved in the club in 2022, and Merson also took aim at Chelsea’s much-maligned transfer policy.
Merson, a Chelsea fan despite being cemented as an Arsenal icon after playing 417 times for the Gunners, also took aim at the club’s transfer policy. He argued that the policy of handing new players long-term deals is proving destructive.
“I just don’t see what the plan is,” he added. “All the seven-year contracts and these players are not getting any better. How many of them have been a major success?”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk