Maresca aims to keep Chelsea fans happy after latest win over Southampton
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca relished the sound of the away supporters chanting his name as his team secured a commanding 5-1 victory in the Premier League against Southampton on Wednesday.
With his team leading 4-1 late in the match, the traveling fans celebrated Chelsea's remarkable win by singing his name, prompting Maresca to acknowledge their enthusiasm, which only intensified the cheers.
"It was a wonderful feeling. You can see they are pleased, and that is our goal; we strive every day to keep them satisfied," Maresca stated during a press conference.
"Tonight was truly gratifying. They can see that Chelsea is back, which is significant."
Maresca inherited a Chelsea team that finished sixth last season under Mauricio Pochettino, and their current form has placed them nine points ahead of their position at the same point last year.
Chelsea is also performing well in Europe, leading the Conference League with four victories from four matches, and they remain unbeaten in their last five league encounters.
"I believe this is a positive feeling, not just for the owners but for the players, the club, and the fans. It is a good sentiment for all of us," Maresca remarked.
"The results certainly assist in alleviating the noise surrounding the club."
Maresca made seven changes to the lineup that defeated Aston Villa 3-0 over the weekend, with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen making his Premier League debut, although Maresca confirmed that Robert Sanchez would return for the next match.
However, Maresca expressed some dissatisfaction with the overall performance, particularly after allowing Southampton to equalize shortly after taking the lead.
"I am very pleased with the five goals we scored. I am not satisfied with the first 20 minutes, where we struggled," he noted.
"We had prepared to press them man-to-man, but we did not execute that initially. After 15 or 20 minutes, we made adjustments, and the game improved significantly."
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