How cracks have appeared between Maresca and Chelsea

The highs of nan Club World Cup are a distant representation for Chelsea, and nan temper seems to person changed astir head Enzo Maresca.

The Italian saw his squad time off nan section to a smattering of boos connected Saturday aft a reddish paper successful a 2nd successive lucifer allowed Brighton to travel from down to win 3-1 astatine Stamford Bridge.

Maresca appeared astatine his strongest aft Chelsea won nan Conference League, qualified for nan Champions League and lifted nan Club World Cup.

But cracks person begun to appear, and he has made comments successful caller weeks that will not person gone down good pinch his bosses.

Five of them - co-sporting board Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, recruitments chiefs Sam Jewell and Joe Shields, and co-owner Behdad Eghbali - went into nan dressing room aft nan conclusion by Brighton.

Maresca, though, was speedy to insist that was normal.

"They person been wrong nan changing room for illustration always," he said.

"We person an agency wrong nan changing room wherever aft each crippled we beryllium and talk astir nan game. It was thing different."

Defeat for nan Blues arsenic goals from substitutes Danny Welbeck and Maxim de Cuyper during 11 minutes of stoppage clip made nan hosts salary for Trevoh Chalobah's 53rd-minute reddish card.

BBC Sport understands Chelsea group Maresca nan target of qualifying for nan Champions League this play pinch nan volition of reviewing that astatine nan extremity of nan campaign.

But pinch conscionable 8 points from six games and 2 Premier League losses successful a row, Maresca will surely cognize that people unit is growing.

BBC Match of nan Day pundit Alan Shearer said: "I deliberation arsenic a Chelsea manager, erstwhile you judge that position, you cognize that you are nether unit if you suffer matches - and they've mislaid two.

"That's nan norm of management, I guess, but much truthful erstwhile you are astatine Chelsea. You can't suffer games and they've now mislaid 2 truthful I deliberation you understand nan situation."

Maresca appears to person aimed respective nationalist barbs astatine nan Chelsea level recently.

His first came successful mid-August - and concerned his protect options.

Maresca was seeking a replacement for injured defender Levi Colwill, who had been ruled retired for nan mostly of nan play because of a knee injury.

Chelsea had told him to activity pinch replacement options, including Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, youngster Josh Acheampong and caller signing Jorrel Hato.

Maresca told nan media: "The nine cognize precisely what I think."

He went connected to explicate nary of his different options - except, perhaps, Tosin Adarabioyo, who is now injured - could do nan occupation successful possession that Colwill can.

Asked again by BBC Sport astir signing a defender, he replied: "You for illustration to talk astir cardinal defenders? I already spoke. Thank you very much."

Chelsea alternatively signed Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho for £40m - and he has featured successful conscionable 1 convention lucifer arsenic a substitute.

Striker Marc Guiu has not played astatine each since being recalled from his indebtedness spell astatine Sunderland aft Liam Delap injured a hamstring, while academy merchandise Acheampong, who is highly regarded astatine nan club, has hardly being called upon.

In his news convention preceding nan Carabao Cup triumph astatine Lincoln this week, Maresca said of Liverpool: "If they proceed successful this measurement I deliberation it is intolerable to drawback them, not conscionable for us, but for each nan clubs.

"They person been doing a awesome occupation since past year, and nan players they person decided to bargain shows nan volition of nan nine to spell again for nan Premier League and nan Champions League, and that is rather clear."

That is successful stark opposition to his comments aft nan conclusion by Brighton, erstwhile he suggested nan inexperience successful his squad was starring to costly mistakes.

He has besides suggested decisions astir recalling defender Axel Disasi - exiled successful nan alleged 'bomb squad' distant from his first squad - are retired of his hands, adding: "The nine didn't mention nothing, truthful location is not immoderate news."

Maresca is besides dealing pinch respective wounded problems, pinch his 4 main cardinal defenders and prima attacker Cole Palmer joining Delap connected nan sidelines.

All of which paints an unsettled image astatine nan nine arsenic they hole for nan midweek Champions League crippled against Benfica, past a Premier League lucifer pinch defending champions Liverpool adjacent Saturday.

These contributions came successful to our Premier League unrecorded page connected Saturday:

Saqib: Chelsea are woeful, and inexperience has costs america again.

Harry: Chelsea are earnestly lacking successful experienced, older professionals. They request to extremity operating arsenic a business for a spot and bargain immoderate proven, calm and collected defenders and midfielders. And for nan emotion of everything, bargain a caller keeper. They've sewage specified a deficiency of discipline.

Alex: If Chelsea are to make immoderate of their caller lucrative business salary off, they'll person to bring successful a proven, vocal and knowledgeable centre-back aliases two. This young broadside is perfectly crying retired for it.

Cian: Again, Chelsea only person themselves to blame. It's our inability to termination nan crippled whilst connected top.

Louie: You'd deliberation Maresca would person learnt from nan reddish paper past game. Once again kills nan onslaught pinch his subs, leaving Joao Pedro unsocial to do each nan difficult work, who isn't a striker successful nan first place? It's nan opening of nan extremity for Maresca successful my eyes.

Mike: Not galore Chelsea fans liked Maresca aliases his strategies past year, but his results gained him immoderate credit. This play has been abysmal! Lucky to not suffer to Palace connected nan opening day. He needs to go.

John: Maresca must go. Dreadful considering each nan money spent.

Abdirahman: Maresca proving his atrocious crippled guidance yet again! Gives nan squad nary outlet pinch his antagonistic subs aft nan red. Fair play Brighton, they took afloat advantage.