Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea are a victim of their own success and that has forced the head coach to throw his game-plan in the bin on multiple occasions this season.

Sunderland set up with a back five for the first time in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon as they stunned Chelsea, who won the Conference League and Club World Cup in Maresca's debut season, with a win at Stamford Bridge. Earlier this month, Nottingham Forest, then managed by Ange Postecoglou who has since been sacked, also shocked Maresca by playing five defenders, although Chelsea ended up winning the match at the City Ground comfortably.

Given Chelsea's array of attacking options and the threat they pose, teams are now paying the Blues more respect with how they set up, but that is proving difficult for Maresca.

When asked by football.london about how playing five-back formations influences Chelsea's preparation, Maresca explained: "The thing that we need to improve and we need to learn, and it's something that I'm saying to the players every day, is now...