The Blues are unbeaten in seven matches and have won seven of the 11 competitive games since Maresca took charge in the summer.

The exciting performances have often ended with the players going over to our supporters, both at home and on the road, with Maresca stressing the importance of thanking our fans.

Equally, there have been occasions this season where the head coach has looked to cajole supporters into increasing their vocal backing of the team when he felt the players needed it, something the fans have responded positively to.

Chelsea enter arguably the most challenging period of Maresca’s reign so far in the next month as we travel to Liverpool, Panathinaikos, Newcastle United and Manchester United, plus welcome the Magpies, Noah and Arsenal to Stamford Bridge, before the next international window in mid-November.

And Maresca said: ‘[The relationship with the supporters] is very important. I really like it at home and away but if we can build something important with them at home, I think it will be fantastic for us because we need them during the season, for sure, like we needed them the other day [against Forest]. We needed them for the last push and we were very close. We didn’t win but they were there supporting us.

‘For the fans, it is nice to be proud of the players. When you see your team and your players fighting and trying to win the game, it is a good moment for the fans.

‘This is what we ask of the players: ‘Just go outside and give everything because there are fans there that want to be proud of you’, and this is what they are doing now.’

September started with Chelsea drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace before victories over Bournemouth (1-0), West Ham United (3-0), Barrow (5-0) and Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2).

That form, which was followed by another 4-2 win over Gent and a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest in early October, has seen the Blues progress in the League Cup, start positively in the Conference League and enter the top four of the Premier League, with league-leaders Liverpool only four points ahead.

Chelsea’s unbeaten September saw Maresca named Premier League Manager of the Month prior to the international break, with Cole Palmer also claiming the player’s gong, and last week the Italian has thanked the work of his backroom staff ahead of Sunday’s exciting clash with Liverpool.

But Maresca knows there is still a lot of work to do and plenty of improvement to come if we are to achieve all of our objectives over the coming months and years.

Maresca said: ‘The international window gives you time to reflect. When there are so many games, sometimes you don’t stop to think about it.

‘I try day by day to see how we can do things better and at the end, if you focus on how to improve the players and the team, that is how we like it and try to do it with every session.’

He continued: ‘Like all of the staff, we are hard workers and especially we are opened-minded. We are always looking for new things, looking at different football in different countries and always looking [to improve] more and more.’