Maresca bows to Liverpool's power: "No one can catch them"
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 23.09.25. | 11:07
Chelsea boss was full of praise for Arne Slot's men ahead of their respective EFL Cup ties on Tuesday night
Only five rounds into the Premier League season, the picture is already starting to take shape. Arsenal look sharp, Manchester City are stuttering but still have Pep Guardiola on the bench, Chelsea seem finally done with their endless reshuffle… And yet, if you ask the Blues' boss Enzo Maresca who will lift the trophy come May, his answer leaves no room for doubt: Liverpool will defend their crown.
Not because Arne Slot's Reds have taken maximum points from their opening five games, already sitting five clear of Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bournemouth.
No - Maresca insists it's not about the table. It's about the way they play.
"If they keep playing like this, I think it's impossible to catch them. Not just for us, but for everyone," admitted the Chelsea coach, whose side are already seven points adrift.
Last season, Liverpool sealed the title with four games to spare. This summer they doubled down, investing an eye-watering €484.7 million in reinforcements - Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong… the list goes on.
"They've been doing a fantastic job since last year," Maresca continued. "And the players they've brought in show the club's clear intention to compete for the Premier League and the Champions League again."
Maybe these words are also a way of easing the pressure off his own squad and shifting it firmly onto Anfield. But you get the sense that Liverpool's rivals are already glancing nervously over their shoulders.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have their own problems. Cole Palmer has started just twice this season amid ongoing injury concerns, with talk of surgery growing louder. Maresca, though, plays down that scenario:
"The medical team hasn't mentioned anything about surgery. I honestly don't know if he'll be back in days or in weeks. But we have to protect Cole 100%. Because of the Club World Cup, he hasn't had any real rest this year. We must take care of him."
Palmer's struggles don't explain Chelsea's recent slump - three games without a win. Defeats to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Manchester United in the league, plus a draw with Brentford, have left the Blues wobbling. Tonight's League Cup tie against League One side Lincoln City looks, on paper, like a chance to breathe. But Maresca isn't convinced.
"Honestly, I'd rather we'd drawn a Premier League team than a League One side, because these are the games that worry me most - the ones where you can underestimate your opponent. We have to avoid that."
Chelsea will send out a heavily rotated side, with plenty of academy talent getting their chance. They won't underestimate Lincoln. The only question is whether they're good enough.
EFL CUP - ROUND 3
Tuesday
21.45: (9.00) Barnsley (5.80) Brighton (1.30)
21.45: (1.60) Burnley (3.90) Cardiff (6.00)
21.45: (1.17) Fulham (7.50) Cambridge (16.0)
21.45: (15.0) Lincoln City (7.25) Chelsea (1.18)
21.45: (2.35) Wigan (3.20) Wycombe (2.90)
21.45: (2.95) Wolverhampton (3.35) Everton (2.40)
21.45: (1.65) Wrexham (3.60) Reading (5.10)
22.00: (1.15) Liverpool (8.00) Southampton (16.0)
Wednesday
21.45: (19.0) Huddersfield (8.50) Man.City (1.13)
21.45: (1.10) Newcastle (11.0) Bradford (18.0)
21.45: (1.15) Tottenham (7.75) Doncaster (19.0)
22.00: (18.0) Port Vale (11.0) Arsenal (1.10)
***odds are subject to change***
