A fine run has seen the Blues build momentum and an unbeaten run that now stretches to 12 games in all competitions, even if our series of consecutive victories came to an end in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Everton.

That has left the Blues second in the Premier League table going into our next fixture at home against west London neighbours Fulham on Boxing Day, but as always Maresca is taking things as they come and refusing to get carried away.

‘We have said many times that we are ahead of our expectations in terms of the way we are playing and in terms of points,’ said our head coach ahead of hosting Fulham.

‘But as I’ve always said, for us the main focus is just to see how we can improve the players and how we can game-by-game improve the team.’

However, while the Italian is always looking for improvement, he accepts that there is only so much that is within his control.

The perfect example is that no team in the top flight has been denied by the woodwork as often as Chelsea this season, demonstrating the fine margins that can make the difference between three points and one at the highest level.

Maresca chooses to take the positive from that fact, though, as it underlines the number of chances his Blues team has been creating.

‘We can control the way we want to play, on the ball and off the ball, but we cannot control the result, in terms of sometimes you hit the post or crossbar and don’t win games. When we hit the crossbar or post a lot, it’s probably the consequence of that we create a lot of chances.

‘We do score and I think at this moment we have the best attack in the Premier League. We also hit the post and crossbar many times, but this is a good feeling because that means we are creating chances and that is what we want.

‘Sometimes you score goals and sometimes you miss, these kinds of things I don’t think go with experience, it’s more about sometimes being clinical to take the chance. Hopefully, in the future, we can be a bit more lucky and take chances.’

One player who has made a big contribution in both creating and finishing chances in recent matches is Enzo Fernandez, who has registered seven goal involvements in as many Premier League appearances.

‘We are very happy with Enzo,' said Maresca, 'Once again against Everton, he showed he is doing very well.

‘He was playing for one hour as a holding midfielder with Moi [Caicedo], then for the last half-an-hour we moved him in the pocket and we dropped Malo [Gusto] next to Moi, to change a little bit, and I feel that in both positions he was doing well.

‘So he’s helping us a lot and also in terms of leadership he is growing, so we are happy with Enzo.’

We will have to wait two more days to find out where – or if – Fernandez will line up against Fulham for our next match, but hopefully he and Chelsea can extend their current runs to make it eight goal involvements in as many games for the Argentinian and 13 matches unbeaten for the Blues.