ENZO'S GOT NO TIME TO BE TOO BLUE

ENZO MARESCA clung to Chelsea's clean sheet like a comfort rug after the big-spending Blues began their season with a whimper.

- By Mike Walters

After pre-match fireworks to celebrate their Club World Cup win, his side served up the equivalent of soggy blue touchpaper.

But as Chelsea lost ground to Liverpool and Manchester City on their first day of term, Maresca refused to be too downhearted.

The head coach, above, said: "I don't think about May or June, only the next game. It's about Friday [at West Ham], no more than that.

"We didn't lose a clean sheet.

Crystal Palace played about eight pre-season games, we played just two so we tried our best. We competed until the end.