Chelsea on the right path, says Maresca after third away win

LONDON : Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca downplayed the significance of becoming the first manager to win his first three away games in the Premier League since his former mentor Pep Guardiola achieved the same feat in 2016.

Maresca - who had a spell as one of Guardiola's assistant managers at Manchester City - oversaw Chelsea's 3-0 win at West Ham United on Saturday and said he believed his young squad was making progress, even if they still had room for improvement.

"The way the players are buying the idea, or the different style, since I arrived has been top," Maresca told reporters. "I think we are on the right path, we are in the right direction. But this is a long journey."

Maresca is the fourth permanent coach to work for Chelsea's American owners since they bought the club in 2022.

After finishing 12th two seasons ago and sixth in the last campaign, Chelsea are desperate to recover their status as an English and European heavyweight.

Co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were both in attendance at the London Stadium on Saturday, despite media reports of a rift, and they congratulated the players and coaching staff after the game.

"They were in the changing room, they were all happy," Maresca said. "The main target in this moment is to see how we progress as a team and I think we are improving many things even if today we could attack better, we could defend better."

Maresca said he sensed that a coherent team would soon emerge from the flurry of players who have arrived at Stamford Bridge in recent months, including winger Jadon Sancho and defender Tosin Adarabioyo who both made their first starts for Chelsea against West Ham.

"It's just a matter of time," the Italian said. "I said at the beginning the most important