Enzo Maresca's lack of experience is beginning to show himself in Chelsea … Unai Emery taught him a lesson in Villa Park, writes Tom Collomosse

As bets for Chelsea and Aston Villa rise per week, the knowledge of the course and distance of Unai Emery is beginning to seem vital as the center of attention shines more and more in Enzo Maresca.

The eight best of the Premier League are full of experience. According to the respected website, Transfermarkt Emery leads the way, with the 2-1 victory on Saturday over Chelsea its 1,002º Senior Meeting as coach.

Pep Guardiola has supervised 922 games, Eddie Howe 702, Nuno Espirito Santo 514. Then there is a gap for Andoni Iraola in 288, Mikel Arteta in 271 and Arne Slot in 248.

The Atypical brave is the chief of Chelsea Maresca. The late defeat in Villa Park was the 105th Italian game and only 38 of them have been with a first level club. When the qualification of the Champions League is at stake and Chelsea has won only twice in the League since mid -December, the BLUES owners could be forgiven for desiring that the man on the bench had some more miles on the clock .

The experience in the bank will not prevent a goalkeeper from committing a howler Filip Jorgenen for the winner of Villa, nor will he stop Cole Palmer to lose a simple opportunity to restore Chelsea leadership in the second half. This was a closed game and in the decisive moments, Villa left on the right side of the line.

However, managers hardened by battle have gone through these bamboles before and can resort to those memories when they need it. Palmer was comfortably the best Chelsea player in 2024, but on Saturday the attacker of England seemed increasingly agitated with himself and his teammates.

Enzo Maresca's lack of experience is beginning to be more evident in Chelsea

If Palmer were a Villa player, Emery could resort to many similar situations with upper class soccer players in his career and act accordingly.

Maresca doesn't have that luxury. It could have been part of Guardiola's coaching staff in City and played for Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi, but this is the first time Maresca has been the man who makes the key calls.

Then there is your ability to read a game and react. Maresca got his place of selection of initial equipment and won the early tactical battle with Emery.

However, when Emery changed her team's balance to part -time, sending Marcus Rashford to run in bad taste and allowing Morgan Rogers to deviate, Maresca did not respond.

He could have changed James from midfield to the right side to counteract Rashford's threat or put Jadon Sancho to the right to run in the vulnerable Ian Maatsen. Maresca did not, moving alone to introduce Sancho for Christopher Nkunku on the left at the end of the game, a similar change.

At least the accessories list is smiling at Maresca. Southampton at home is as close to a gimme as it can arrive in the Premier League these days and the ideal accessory to lift the spirit and perhaps calm Palmer's nerves. Then, blues have a break from domestic action until March 9, when they face the old Leicester club in Maresca.

Villa has it much more difficult. Cardiff follows a difficult trip to the Crystal Palace palace three days later at home in the FA Cup. Then, on March 4, Villa restarts his campaign of the Champions League, traveling to the Brugge club for the first leg of his last draw.

Emery has clearly decided that the risk will bring reward on the rest of the campaign.

Unai Emery made the necessary changes to see at his side claim the three points

Marco Asensio was the winner of the match against Chelsea, but the Spanish is a virtual passenger when Villa does not have the ball.

Similarly, Rashford has already been devastating flashes, but there is a cost for the solidity of Villa. In his last two games against Liverpool and Chelsea, Villa gave 32 shots and 5.35 xg (expected goals).

With only three clean leaves in the league this season, it seems that Emery believes that her best opportunity for success is to forget to keep the back door closed and concentrate on blowing them at the other end. Rashford and Asensio certainly give him ammunition to do so.