Chelsea fans fume at manager Enzo Maresca after Arsenal star Jurrien Timber ’embarrasses’ him with brutal two-word putdown
Many Chelsea fans were left fuming at manager Enzo Maresca after Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber appeared to ’embarrass’ him with a blunt two-word message during Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at the Emirates.
The match, decided by a 20th-minute header by Mikel Merino from a Martin Odegaard corner, marked another frustrating outing for the Blues, who have now lost four consecutive away games in the Premier League.
Maresca’s side also extended their winless run against Arsenal to seven matches.
But while Chelsea’s on-field struggles will be the primary concern for most Blues supporters, some fans on social media appeared more triggered by a brief touchline exchange between Maresca and Timber.
The incident occurred deep in added time during a brief break in play. Timber leaned towards Maresca and appeared multiple times to tell him to ‘try harder’.
The Italian responded with his mouth covered, before Timber cheekily extended his hand. Maresca shook it before play resumed.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber (left) exchanged words with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Sunday
After appearing to tell Maresca to ‘try harder’, Timber offered the Italian manager a handshake
Maresca accepted Timber’s offer of a handshake and many Chelsea fans were unimpressed
The footage quickly went viral, with some Chelsea fans livid over what they saw as their manager being mocked in real-time.
One supporter posted on X (formerly Twitter): ‘Absolutely embarrassing our manager is taking that.’
Another fumed: ‘Imagine this with any other Chelsea manager ever, oh wait it wouldn’t happen.’
Others pointed out how the exchange symbolised Chelsea’s current struggles.
‘This is not the Chelsea we used to know,’ one fan lamented, while another claimed that an ‘elite manager would have been fuming at this point’.
Timber was one of the best players on the pitch on Sunday.
He touched the ball 64 times – more than any of his team-mates apart from William Saliba (70). The Dutch defender also won more aerial duels (four) than any other player on either side.
Without star man Cole Palmer, Chelsea mustered only two shots on target.
Timber pictured celebrating after the final whistle in Sunday’s 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium
Maresca gestured apologetically towards Chelsea’s travelling supporters in north London
Palmer had started all 28 of Chelsea’s Premier League games prior to Sunday but was unavailable due to a tight hamstring.
Speaking ahead of kick-off on Sunday, Maresca told Sky Sports: ‘He’s not in the toilet, for sure!
‘He had, as we know, last week some problems [with illness].
‘And unfortunately yesterday he had a very small problem. We think, after the international break, he will be back with us.
‘He had an injury yesterday during the session. It was a very light session. That’s why we think it is nothing important.
‘But we wait and the feeling is he will be back after the next international break.’
