Enzo Maresca expressed satisfaction with Chelsea’s 0-0 draw against Everton at Goodison Park, despite the result costing them valuable points in the Premier League title race. The draw meant Chelsea missed the chance to briefly move to the top of the table, and now sit five points behind the leaders after Liverpool’s win over Tottenham.
The match offered few clear chances for either side. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the first half, while Everton’s Jack Harrison squandered a decent opportunity after the break. Reflecting on the tough encounter, Maresca acknowledged Everton’s formidable defense, which he believes is among the best in Europe.
“I’m absolutely happy,” Maresca said. “I told the players that I’m actually more satisfied with this result than I was after the win against Brentford. I had concerns going into this game—Everton is a tricky team, at a tricky stadium, and defensively, they’re one of the top five teams in Europe when it comes to clean sheets. It’s very difficult to break them down.”
Maresca pointed out the need for tactical flexibility in matches like these. “Football isn’t just about playing good football on the ball. You also have to adapt to the physical aspects of the game—long balls, second balls, set-pieces. We knew it would be hard to create chances, just like in their game against Arsenal. While we could have attacked better at times, there wasn’t much space for Cole [Palmer], so we moved him into a more central role in the final half-hour. When you’re not going to have many chances, it’s crucial to take the ones you get. We had Nico’s shot off the post and a couple of other opportunities in the box. If we’d been more clinical, the game could have been very different.”
Despite the disappointment of not securing all three points, Maresca was proud of his team’s resilience. He emphasized that in games like these, where clear-cut chances are rare, clinical finishing becomes crucial, and that the overall effort, even in a challenging match, was something to be proud of.
