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Paul Merson is confident that a superior manager will be fired if he drops points in any of his next two Premier League games.
He Sky Sports Pundit, who played for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Arsenal during his career in the Premier League, fears that a chief coach is on the edge of the ax after another defeat in the highest category last weekend.
Merson is concerned that Enzo Maresca is fired by Chelsea if he cannot direct his side to victory against Southampton on Tuesday and Leicester on Sunday, March 9.
Chelsea receives next to the Premier League in Stamford Bridge just a few days after losing Aston Villa on Saturday, falling seventh at the table despite a star start of the campaign.
Since the boxing day, the blues have won only two games of nine in the Premier League, while they have also crashed from the FA Cup to Brighton.
Sending a severe warning to Maresca on Monday, Merson said: 'If they don't win their next two games, the manager will not be there.
Paul Merson believes that a manager will be fired if he leaves points in any of his next two games
Chelsea's manager, Enzo Maresca, suffered a defeat again against Aston Villa over the weekend
Merson believes that they will be curtains for Maresca if Chelsea does not win Southampton on Tuesday
'They are playing against two of the worst teams to play in the Premier League because I don't know how long in Southampton and Leicester. So, if they don't win those two games, it will do well to maintain their job.
'Chelsea has to enter the Champions League. They need the Champions League to keep players like Cole Palmer, since he will want to play in that competition.
'They will have to end in the top five, otherwise, I fear to think what will happen. I just don't see what the plan is. All seven -year contracts and these players are not improving. How many of them have been a great success?
An important problem facing Maresca is Palmer's decreasing form in recent times. The star of England began the season with 20 contributions of goals from 20 games in the Premier League, but has failed to register a single goal or assists in its last five games.
When presenting a theory to explain the recent fall of Palmer in the form, added Merson: 'Even Palmer has now fought, Palmer needs Nicolas Jackson and Jackson needs Palmer.
'Without Jackson's movement, Palmer suffocates the game. He has no movement in front of him. People give Jackson Stick, but you can see how good it is now that he is not in the team.
'Now, suddenly, they have nothing in front, so no one is doing the races and Palmer has no space. Then it is becoming deeper. Jackson is a great lady.
Maresca could not choose a better time to face Southampton and Leicester, who lost 4-0 over the weekend against Brighton and Brentford, respectively.
Cole Palmer has fought for the contributions of goals without Nicolas Jackson leading the line
Leicester de Ruud Van Nistelrooy is another game that must win for Maresca and his Chelsea side
Los Santos, in particular, have supported a nightmare season at the foot of the table, accumulating only nine points of 26 games with two victories and three attractions in their name.
Meanwhile, Leicester is 19 with 17 points, for little behind Ipswich in the goals difference.