Opinion: Why Enzo Maresca faces increasing scrutiny if Chelsea suffer Liverpool defeat | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has one Chelsea task against Liverpool - to find a way of avoiding defeat.

After an unbeaten start to the Premier League season in August, winning two games and drawing the others, it was a difficult September for Chelsea.

Chelsea failed to win a single league match during the month - drawing with Brentford before suffering back-to-back defeats to Manchester United and Brighton. Maresca’s in-game decisions, particularly his substitutions, came under scrutiny, with Chelsea reduced to 10 men in both defeats.

Prior to their win over Benfica in the Champions League, Maresca offered refreshing accountability, admitting: "For sure I think after reviewing the last two games, Man Utd and Brighton with 10 players, for sure I could have done better probably in terms of (my) decisions.

IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

"No doubt, but also for me it's like a learning process to play with 10 players because I think for any manager it's not something normal. Unfortunately for us it happened two times."

Although many accept Maresca's comments, the pressure is building up after a dismal September. A third straight Premier League defeat - should Liverpool claim all three points - will only amplify the noise.

As Maresca himself has acknowledged, football is about results. And with the October international break beginning after this weekend, the club won’t be able to avoid two weeks of intense scrutiny if they fall short again.

Chelsea were booed off by those who remained inside Stamford Bridge after the Brighton loss, and the atmosphere could worsen if Arne Slot’s side inflict more misery.

Maresca has attributed several of Chelsea’s recent struggles to a combination of factors, including red cards in the matches against Man United and Brighton, as well as a mounting injury list.

"I think we started very, very well in terms of results and performance," reflected Maresca on Friday when asked about their start to the season. "The first four or five games and then probably the rest of the games, we didn't get the points that we wanted for sure, but we already analysed the reason why.

Two stoppage time goals ensured Chelsea suffered a dismal defeat to Brighton. | IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

"Again, I think most of the games where we didn't get the points is because they were games very complicated for us in terms of, unfortunately, red cards.

"But no doubt that also the injury situation, we have at this moment I think eight players out. So it's a mixed combination, but we don't have any doubt that slowly, slowly we're going to be again where we need to be."

Chelsea must cut out their costly mistakes against Liverpool, or the likes of Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak could expose their vulnerabilities in front of a restless Stamford Bridge crowd.

Maresca retains the backing of the Chelsea hierarchy and their success in the Conference League and Club World Cup has earned him credit in the bank. But patience is hard to come by amongst the Chelsea faithful, and another defeat will only harm the view towards the manager in certain quarters.

Chelsea have shown in the past that they can beat Liverpool - notably doing so back in May which helped secure Champions League qualification after the Reds had already wrapped up the title. But this time, the stakes are higher, the pressure more intense, and the injury list longer. Who will step up when it matters most?