Paul Merson sends brutal warning to Enzo Maresca after Chelsea defeat v Aston Villa | OneFootball

Sky Sports football expert Paul Merson has slammed Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca following the club’s 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Chelsea’s next two Premier League games are at home against relegation strugglers Southampton and Leicester City, and Merson believes Maresca could be sacked if his side don’t take maximum points from both games.

The Blues fell to another deflating defeat in Birmingham, surrendering a narrow one-goal lead to lose 2-1 thanks to superb cameo performances from Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.

Maresca’s side took the lead just eight minutes into the game as Enzo Fernandez guided home a low cross from Pedro Neto.

However, Villa turned it around late in the second half. Rashford set up Asensio for the leveller before the hour mark before doing so again in the 90th minute.

The loss added to Chelsea’s woes, with the Blues now on a three-game losing streak across all competitions.

They’ve also won just two of their last ten Premier League games, dampening hopes of securing a top-four finish.

Despite their recent form, Chelsea will head into their next two games as overwhelming favourites, and Merson believes anything but a win against Southampton and Leicester could spell the end of Maresca’s tenure.

“If they don’t win their next two games, the manager won’t be there,” Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column.

“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’s recent slump has seen them drop down to seventh on the Premier League table, but they’re just a point off fourth-placed Manchester City and four behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.