Title rivals won't slip up 'like Cucurella' - Maresca

Enzo Maresca says Chelsea are ahead of expectations - but does not expect their Premier League rivals to slip up in the title race "like Marc Cucurella".

The Blues came back from a two-goal deficit to beat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday, with both of Spurs' early finishes coming after Cucurella lost his footing.

Maresca became Chelsea boss in the summer after his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino led the Londoners to a sixth-placed finish.

Now they are second, just four points off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand after Saturday's trip to Everton was postponed due to Storm Darragh.

"We are ahead of my expectation," said Maresca after the impressive comeback win.

"In terms of the way we play on the ball, off the ball and in terms of the results."

The Italian, though, does not feel Chelsea are "ready" to challenge for the title yet.

"Arsenal, [Manchester] City and Liverpool probably don't slide - like Cucurella did," he added in a tongue-in-cheek reference to the misfortune of his Spanish left-back , who changed his boots after Tottenham's second goal.

"To be serious, we are not ready. We are far from these teams, but we focus on day-by-day and trying to improve the team.

"The plan or the idea is to not let the players slow down. They cannot drop because they know another player is waiting to come in."