Sunderland come up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has delivered a glowing verdict of both Sunderland and head coach Regis Le Bris ahead of the two sides facing each other on Saturday afternoon.
The Premier League new boys and their hosts are level on points heading into the weekend, with the Black Cats having enjoyed their best start to a top flight campaign in 56 years.
And while Chelsea may be favourites in the eyes of many, Maresca made it clear he is under no illusions that his side could be in for a tricky test in West London, while also taking the time to express his long-term admiration for the job his opposite number has done in the North East.
What did Enzo Maresca say about Sunderland and Regis Le Bris?
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, the Chelsea boss said: “I think they [Sunderland] show, since the season started, that they are a very good team. They play together, they work together, they play as a team. Also, in terms of results, they have the same points as us, so they are showing how good they are doing since they started. And again, it's a Premier League game, I don't think there is any game that can be easy. They are all difficult games...
“The challenge is always the same, try to win the game, knowing that there is another team that also wants the same, they want to win the game. And they want to try to create a hard situation, a difficult situation for us.”
When asked about Le Bris, he added: “I've spent one season with Leicester in the Championship, and I love the Championship. Even if we play in the Premier League or the Champions League, I always watch the Championship. I've watched Sunderland since last season, when the new manager arrived. They are doing very good, not just from this season, but from last season. They play good football, they are quite strong, physically strong, so I really like the way they are doing things.”
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What is the latest Chelsea injury news?
Elsewhere, Maresca also confirmed that his side would be without striker Liam Delap for Saturday’s clash. He said: “We don't have any new injuries. Liam took part in the session yesterday with the team for the first time, so he's not going to be available for tomorrow’s game, but probably for the next one he is. The schedule also can change a little bit, it depends how they improve or get worse. The first time they said to me that he would be available for the 25th of October, so today is the 24th... He can be available [for next week’s Carabao Cup fixture vs Wolves].”
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