Chelsea's coach, Enzo Maresca, explained why he doesn't think the Blues will win the Premier League this year. He also talked about his worst 48 hours statement after they beat Everton on December 13. After that game, the coach said those were the worst 48 hours since he started at Stamford Bridge in 2024.

Maresca's comment about the worst 48 hours got people talking. Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 at home on December 3, but before that, they hadn't won in three games, losing to Leeds United and Atalanta. The team really needed to win against Everton, and Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto helped them get the three points.

After the game, Maresca told reporters, I praise the players because they're doing great, even with all the problems after a tough week. Since I joined, those 48 hours were the worst because many people weren't supporting us. I'm happy for Malo and everyone else because their hard work showed they're all in and want to help the club.

When asked what he meant, Maresca said, Worst 48 hours because people didn't support the team and me.

He was then asked if it was an internal issue or related to the fans and said, In general. I love the fans, and I'm happy with them.

Looking back on his comments almost two weeks later, the coach told Sky Sports, There are times when things are better or worse. We spend so much time together, it’s normal. It happens in any family.

Maresca was also asked if he was annoyed that people were still talking about his 48-hour comments. He said, It's annoying that we're still talking about it after a few weeks. I get that it caused a reaction in the media, but I can't control that. What bothers me is that we're still on it after a while, when I already said there weren't any issues with the higher-ups before the Newcastle game.

Maresca said that Chelsea isn't likely to win the title because they aren't consistent enough.

This season, Chelsea has beaten Liverpool and Barcelona at home. When asked if it was true that they play better against bigger teams, he agreed and said they need to keep up a high level every week.

He told Sky Sports, That's probably right now, and why we're not closer to the top. We need to be more consistent against different teams. That's something we want to improve, how we play against those teams. Hopefully, we can keep doing well against the big teams.

If you want to be at the top at the end of the season, you have to be consistent. Otherwise, it's tough. That's why I think December, January, and February are important months. After that, you can set your goals in March, and hopefully, we'll be in a position to fight for something big.

Chelsea has decided not to sign Semenyo.

Antoine Semenyo's future at Bournemouth has been uncertain, with many clubs interested in him. Manchester City is said to be the favourite to sign him. The Athletic reported that while Chelsea likes Semenyo, they don't plan to try to sign him in January because they trust their current players.

Here's the lowdown on Chelsea's injuries before their game against Aston Villa. It's a big match—third place versus fourth!

Chelsea managed a decent 2-2 draw against Newcastle after being down by two goals. They're holding onto fourth place for now. But Liverpool's close behind, winning most of their recent games.

Chelsea wanted to compete for the league title, but they haven't been doing so well. They've only won one of their last five matches and are seven points behind Aston Villa. They'll need to play really well to get a good result against Villa, who are on a great run, having won ten straight games in all competitions.

In good news, Moises Caicedo is back in midfield after his suspension, and Cole Palmer is getting more playing time after his injury. Enzo Maresca has been missing players, but two could be back this weekend.

Here’s the latest on who’s hurt before this big game:

Will Liam Delap be fit?

Liam Delap, who joined in the summer, has been out for a month with a shoulder injury that he got against Bournemouth. It's been a rough start for him, as he also missed time with a hamstring issue earlier in the season.

But the shoulder problem isn't as bad as I first thought. He might be available against Aston Villa. Enzo Maresca told reporters that Liam is probably ready for Aston Villa.

Delap hasn't scored in his eight league games for Chelsea this season. His only goal was in the Champions League against Barcelona.

Romeo Lavia and Estevao Updates

Romeo Lavia is still out with a muscle injury and won’t be back until next year. He's had some problems since joining from Southampton, but is getting closer to being fit. He might even be on the bench against Manchester City on January 4.

Estevao is getting close to fitness. He's in the same shape as Delap and might be in the squad to play Aston Villa this weekend as he pushes to return from a muscle injury.

Dario Essugo is still waiting for his first game for the club. He hasn’t been in the squad since the third game because of an injury. No one knows how bad it is, and there's no date for his return.

Levi Colwill is likely out for most of the season with a bad ACL injury, which could affect his chances of playing in the World Cup. Mykhailo Mudryk is also still out for a while, as he's suspended for violating anti-doping rules.