Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez has completed a huge u-turn – and this is why

Enzo Fernandez might not have scored over the weekend, but his inspiring leadership in a pivotal moment set Chelsea on the path to securing three points, going above Manchester City, and serving as a reminder that, at full throttle, he’s one of the best midfielders in the league.

The jury is still out on his Italian manager, but if he can steer this team back to Champions League football and win the Europa Conference League, he would be the most successful manager under the Clearlake and Boehly ownership.

So, on a weekend that could prove pivotal in May, below are a few observations that could lead to bigger wins for both the club and its players.

Enzo Fernandez is showing incredible leadership for Chelsea

Fernandez, who holds the record for being Chelsea’s record signing, is having some season. His English is still basic at best, but is not stopping him from inspiring his teammates with his commitment, passion, and will to succeed.

One moment that stood out during the Leicester game was when Cole Palmer, clearly out of form and lacking confidence, missed his first penalty in his Chelsea career. The first person to approach him and offer a word of encouragement was none other than Fernandez.

As Palmer wheeled away to the corner flag, trying to shake it off, Fernandez made sure to approach him, offer some support, and try to lift Palmer’s spirits before returning to take his spot ahead of the corner kick.

It’s a small gesture, but it would have meant the world to Palmer at that moment. Fernandez himself is a great example of a player who found his time at Chelsea very tough last season but has weathered the storm and is now thriving.

One of the tactical changes in recent weeks, meanwhile, has been to allow Marc Cucurella – ranked at no.8 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best left-backs in the world right now – to invert into midfield and help the team attack.

Earlier in the season, it was the right full-back who was asked to invert, but the lack of defensive solidity led to this shift, with Cucurella now joining midfield instead. What a revelation it’s turning out to be.

He has five goals this season, four of them already in the league, and he just seems to be enjoying his football. Against Leicester, there was a moment when Chelsea had a free-kick on the left side that Cucurella wanted to take.

However, his manager instructed him to leave it and instead move into the box as Neto came over to take the set-piece. His manager now wants Cucurella to always be closer to the goal.

Maresca encourages Sanchez to go long for the first time

Another strange moment over the weekend, but one that eventually worked, was that for almost the entire season, Enzo Maresca has insisted his goalkeepers pass the ball from the back. However, against Leicester, with just five minutes remaining in the game, The Chelsea boss shouted at Robert Sanchez to go long as Leicester attempted to press Chelsea into mistakes.

There’s a perception in the manager not altering his principles, but the fact he was willing to make this change and let the keeper kick it as far as possible shows his versatility.

It’s a sign of a Chelsea side evolving. After being withdrawn from the game, Cole Palmer went straight into the tunnel and stayed there for a while before emerging after the final whistle with a bandage on his knee. He went on to hug Conor Coady, before embracing Mads Hermansen, the Leicester keeper who saved his first-ever penalty.

Palmer had scored all 12 of his penalty kicks in the Premier League, breaking the record for perfect attempts previously held by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure before his miss against the Foxes at the weekend.

There’s no doubt Palmer is struggling at the moment, but it’s encouraging that even when he’s not at his best, his teammates are stepping up in grand style to get the win.

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