Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is relishing a reunion this weekend at Manchester United with former teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is in interim charge of the Old Trafford side until Ruben Amorim takes over later this month, the Italian said on Friday.
Chelsea visit United on Sunday where they have not had a Premier League win since May 2013. Maresca, a former midfielder, played with striker Van Nistelrooy during their time at Malaga in the 2011-2012 season near the end of the Dutchman's career.
It will be Van Nistelrooy's second game in temporary charge at United after a 5-2 League Cup home win over Leicester City in midweek. Portuguese Amorim will join United on Nov. 11.
"I will give Van Nistelrooy a big hug before the game," Maresca told reporters. "We expect a tough game. He's a fantastic guy, humble, and very professional.
"We had a very good group of human beings at that time at Malaga. It's nice to remember those moments."
Chelsea lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in December and were thrashed 4-1 in May last year. They are without a win in their last 11 league visits, with six draws and five losses.
"Hopefully, it's a good time to play them. It's a really tough place to win and our recent record shows that," added Maresca.
Chelsea are fifth on 17 points, six behind leaders Manchester City, after four wins in their last six games. while United languish 14th on 11 after three wins from nine matches.
Maresca has a fully fit squad to choose from apart from on-loan forward Jadon Sancho who has been ill but is in any case ineligible to feature against his parent club United.
The Italian also heaped praise on Chelsea's in-form Cole Palmer, who has scored seven goals and registered five assists from 11 games across all competitions, but said he will not place undue pressure on the 22-year-old midfielder.
"As I said at the start of the season, if we expect 20 goals and 20 assists from him again then that's wrong. We shouldn’t put that pressure on him," Maresca added.
"He needs to enjoy his football and when he does that you can see what he can do. Cole plays well even when he doesn't score because he allows the rest (of the team) to play in the right way. He’s a very important player for us."