Chelsea can close gap to Liverpool: Maresca

The Blues have won five of their past eight league matches

LONDON/LIVERPOOL:

Enzo Maresca believes his Chelsea team can get closer to Liverpool next season as he prepares to welcome the newly crowned Premier League champions to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea were within two points of Liverpool in mid-December, two months after pushing them hard in a 2-1 defeat at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he felt the visitors were the better team that day.

Fifth-placed Chelsea are now 22 points behind the champions but still have their eyes firmly set on a top-five finish, which would secure Champions League qualification.

"I think the gap (to Liverpool) is there, you can see it clearly," said Maresca, whose team have won five of their past eight league matches.

"My feeling is that we are in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be closed. The difference has been probably that they have been consistent compared to us.

"Also in terms of experience, players that know how to win games, I think they have something more compared to us."

Maresca was asked if he would look to follow the example of Liverpool, who signed experienced pair Virgil van Dijk and Alisson in 2018, underpinning success in the Champions League and Premier League.

"If you want to close the gap with this kind of club, for sure (you need experience)," said the Italian.

"Our team next season will be better in terms of experience, because this year has been one more year together.

"For sure the ones that are growing like Levi (Colwill) for instance, growing a lot in terms of leadership, next year will be better and better."

Maresca, whose team have one foot in the UEFA Conference League final following a 4-1 first-leg win over Djurgarden, said Chelsea would give the new champions a guard of honour before kick-off on Sunday.

"I don't think we need that to understand how good it is to win the Premier League," he said. "We know that it's something very nice.

"But for sure when you are there, probably in their mind (the players) are thinking 'I would like one day to be there'."

'EPL win was one of best days of my life'

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Friday that winning the Premier League title at Anfield was one of the best days of his life as he turned his thoughts towards next season.

The Reds crushed Tottenham 5-1 on Sunday to seal a record-breaking 20th English league title with four games to spare, basking in a sensational atmosphere at their packed home ground.

"Maybe for all the Liverpool fans, but for many of them, one of the best days of their lives, and I think it was the same for me," said Slot.

"The way the whole day went, arriving at the stadium, how intense the fans already were, then during the game going 1-0 behind, so it even felt like, 'Oh, they're not going to give it to us, we have to work for it'.

"Scoring the goals, seeing how much it meant to the players but also to the fans, for me, was really special to be part of."

Liverpool travel to face fifth-placed Chelsea on Sunday before taking on Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace in their remaining games.

"It's nice that we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Palace, so that gives immediate challenge to those games," said Slot, 46.

"It's the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already."

The Dutchman said he was surprised by the 22-point between his side and Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, whom he felt were the better team when they met in October, even though Liverpool won 2-1.

"We found a way to win, and that is a quality that we didn't need a lot, because mostly we were the better team on the pitch," he said.

"But in that game we had to suffer more than any other game, maybe. So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club."