By Ian McCullough
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has revealed Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team were the blueprint for how he wants his teams to play ahead of his first trip to Anfield as a manager.
Maresca’s side are unbeaten since the opening day of the season and can reinforce their top-four credentials with a win against Arne Slot’s early-season pacesetters today in what’s been an encouraging start to life in English football’s hottest of managerial hotseats.
The Italian is no stranger to being in the away dug-out at Anfield from his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City and had a ringside seat for some memorable Premier League encounters against Klopp’s side.
“At that time, it was THE game, between two teams that were doing fantastic,” he said.
“The margins were always tiny. You can feel, you can smell that kind of game. It was nice not only for us involved but also for all the people who like football.”
Although Klopp is no longer in charge at Liverpool, his teams had a profound effect on the Italian’s football philosophy.
Maresca said: “When I finished playing and was starting out as a manager I watched 38 games of Liverpool in one week to study and to analyse how they were with the previous manager in terms of pressing.
“It was Christmas time, I still remember. But I was starting to watch different kinds of work. To understand and to see how the best teams think.
“I really know Liverpool players because I watched them many, many, many times. The first one, two, three years of Klopp, the way they were pressing was especially good because of (Mo) Salah, (Roberto) Firmino and (Sadio) Mane.
“It is not only about being on the ball. It was off the ball, the way they were aggressive was unbelievable.
“I really like Salah, not only because he is good on the ball but because he is a fantastic player also off the ball.”
Cole Palmer has established himself as one of the best players in Europe since his arrival at Stamford Bridge from City last season but Maresca said it’s too soon to put the 22-year-old in the same bracket as Salah.
He said: “You cannot just judge on one or two years. In Salah’s case you have to judge on the last seven or eight years,
“He has been one of the best players and one of the best Liverpool players. Cole did that for us last year and also now. Hopefully he can do it for the next five to 10 years with us.”