The Boss Maresca Labels Lead-Up Time as The 'Worst 48 Hours' at the Club

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton was "the worst 48 hours" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old offered a rather mysterious comment in his post-match press conference even after securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those crucial points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's drought without a win to four matches.

However, when questioned about Gusto's contribution and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly divulged his displeasure over the previous two days at the club.

"The way the lads are eager to improve has been excellent and this is the explanation why I applaud them - because with numerous issues, they are performing admirably after a difficult week," he commented.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the last 48 hours have been the most difficult because several people didn't support us."

When pushed further on what he meant, the ex- Leicester City boss continued: "Worst 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he was referring to people internally at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. Overall," before specifying when queried if it was aimed at supporters or the media: "I love the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."

Fitness & Disciplinary Crisis

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as being deprived of key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two significant injuries.

"I truly commend the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are performing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer available, we have said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our best player.

"We play five games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to appreciate because the work from the players is remarkable."

Chelsea's triumph over Everton cemented their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.

Uncertainty Regarding Maresca's Comments

It was not immediately clear what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.

In that period, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from Bergamo, conducted a session at the training ground, faced a pre-match news conference where he seemed relaxed, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton side.

It was hard to discern whether any particular press stories had unsettled him, if social media discourse were a factor, or if it was something deeper from within the club at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's supporters, a section of which have not yet fully embrace him since his appointment from Leicester in July last year.