Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is not letting Fulham’s poor record at Stamford Bridge influence his preparations for their Boxing Day derby. Instead, he is fully focused on how his team can deliver a strong performance on the pitch.

When asked about Fulham’s struggles at Stamford Bridge, Maresca downplayed its significance, saying, “It is football.” He pointed to Chelsea’s recent win against Brentford as an example of how historical records do not guarantee outcomes. “Against Brentford it was the other side, and we won that,” he added.

The Italian stressed the importance of concentrating on Chelsea’s own approach. “I don’t pay attention to the past, I just try to be focused on what they do, how we can beat them, how we can be good on the ball and off the ball,” Maresca explained.

He concluded with a pragmatic outlook: “The results you can’t control, but you can control how you play.”