Some Chelsea fans remain standoffish with Enzo Maresca, even after seeing their side creep back into top four with 10 matches to go. The sense remains that the Stamford Bridge regulars will take some convincing on the merits of the careful, possession-heavy nature of Marescaball. Shifting opinions will require more than this edgy 1-0 win over Leicester.
This was hardly emphatic against opponents who look certain to return to the Championship after losing 12 of their past 13 games. Chelsea were pallid and disjointed in attack for long spells – Cole Palmer, who remains in a creative funk, saw his barren run extend to nine matches without a goal after spurning an early penalty – and there were moments when the crowd’s patience with Maresca sounded stretched.
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