Enzo Maresca cautioned his Chelsea squad against depending solely on Cole Palmer to 'resolve all our issues' as they gear up for a demanding stretch of Premier League matches, starting with Sunday's encounter against Liverpool.

Following the Anfield clash, where the head coach will be without the suspended duo of Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana in defense, the Blues will host Newcastle in the league before traveling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. Arsenal will then visit Stamford Bridge, concluding a three-week period that will thoroughly test the potential showcased in Maresca's first seven games, with the team's top-four credentials under scrutiny.

Chelsea currently sit fourth in the league, and Palmer has been instrumental in their strong start, netting six goals in seven games, including a historic four-goal haul against Brighton, making him the first Premier League player to score four goals in the first half.

However, with an impressive depth of talent at Maresca's disposal, who has rotated his squad for league and cup matches without affecting the team's fluidity or consistency, he emphasized the need to avoid placing too much responsibility on Palmer. 'If we believe Cole will solve all our problems, it's a significant error,' he stated. 'We place all the pressure on his shoulders, and that's incorrect.'

The manager highlighted the contributions of Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, and Enzo Fernández. 'We have Cole, but we have many players performing well,' he noted. 'It's not just about Cole; it's about the entire squad.'

With seven goals, Nkunku is Chelsea's top scorer this season, though only one has come in the league—the winner in last month's 1-0 victory at Bournemouth. Madueke, who scored a hat-trick against Wolves in August, has five goals in all competitions, while Jackson has four.

A victory at Anfield would be Chelsea's first since March 2021 and would bring them within a point of Arne Slot's team, who lead the way after seven games. Manchester City, who won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on the opening Sunday, and Arsenal are each three points ahead of Maresca's side heading into the weekend.

Despite this, the Italian has previously stated that he does not believe his team is ready to challenge last season's top three—a point he reiterated before Chelsea's trip north. 'I don't see Chelsea being close to these clubs at this moment, for various reasons,' he said. 'But we work daily to get closer, knowing it requires us to collaborate day by day, taking the time to approach and get closer.'

'The only way to try to get closer is to focus on the areas we need to improve. To think about where we could be in four games is a bit challenging. The only thing I can say is that we aim to do our best on Sunday.'

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