Chelsea will sack Enzo Maresca if he fails to beat Southampton and Leicester City in the Premier League.
That is the opinion of Paul Merson who says it is imperative that the Blues qualify for next season’s Champions League if they want to hold on to their star players.
Maresca joined Chelsea from Leicester last summer and enjoyed a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge, with his side looking like title contenders in mid-December.
But a run of just two wins in 10 games has changed everything, leaving them seventh in the table, albeit only a point off Manchester City in the top four.
The west Londoners were also dumped out of the FA Cup by Brighton, though they remain clear favourites to win the Conference League.
Chelsea have major issues offensively and defensively but should be offered some respite when they host bottom of the table Southampton on Tuesday and second-bottom of the table Leicester next Sunday.
But Merson believes that these fixtures could actually pile more pressure on Maresca, sensationally predicting that the Italian head coach will be axed if he does not secure six points.
‘If they don’t win their next two games, the manager won’t be there,’ the Arsenal legend and boyhood Chelsea fan told Sky Sports.
‘They’re playing against two of the worst teams to play in the Premier League for I don’t know how long in Southampton and Leicester. So, if they don’t win those two games, he will do well to keep his job.
‘Chelsea have got to get in the Champions League. They need the Champions League to keep players like Cole Palmer as he will want to play in that competition.
‘They will have to finish in the top five, otherwise I dread to think what’s going to happen. I just don’t see what the plan is.
‘All the seven-year contracts and these players are not getting any better. How many of them have been a major success? Bar Palmer, I don’t see any major successes at Chelsea.’
The Blues beat the Saints and the Foxes earlier in the season and despite their recent form are expected to do so again, with both sides heading for an immediate return to the Championship
Southampton have won just two of 26 games and have scored the fewest and conceded the most goals in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, the appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy has only made things worse at Leicester, losing 10 of their last 11 league games, scoring just four goals in that time.
Thanks to English clubs’ performances in Europe this season, a top five finish in the Premier League should be enough to qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal and Liverpool look set to make it, but just eight points separates the next seven clubs, with Chelsea to battle Nottingham Forest, Man City, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Villa, Brighton and Fulham for qualification.
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