Enzo Maresca reaction — What Chelsea manager said after stunning defeat to Fulham; Madueke latest

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca did not look very happy when his side were shocked by Fulham when they lost 2-1 in the west London derby on Boxing Day.

The Blues had gone nine games unbeaten in the Premier League, but after Cole Palmer gave them the lead in the first half, his side stepped off the gas and Fulham grabbed two late goals and a deserved victory.

Maresca’s Chelsea remain on 35 points and they have now handed Liverpool a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Enzo Maresca’s reaction to Chelsea’s defeat to Fulham

“I think probably the first 10-15 minutes of the second half we conceded too many transitions to them,” Maresca told Prime Video in the UK. “We could control much better the second half, especially the first 15-20 minutes. Then the game was there. But unfortunately we concede the goal in the last minute.”

Did Maresca agree with Cole Palmer’s assessment that Chelsea were losing control of the game?

“That’s exactly what I told them,” Palmer said. “We can control the game better. I think we concede too many transitions in the second half. It’s a team with Iwobi, Adama and Jimenez, they are very good in transition. You have to control better. It’s a game that we can learn many things.”

“We have to manage the game better. Especially the second half. We knew exactly that it was a team that plays in transition many times because they have very good players in transition. We could avoid that. For some minutes we could avoid, but in the first 15-20 minutes of the second half we concede too many transitions. We must avoid that.”

Does the defeat to Fulham feel like a missed opportunity for Chelsea as they could have been just a point behind leaders Liverpool?

“I think it’s just a game that unfortunately we lost. Now it’s just a matter of recovering the energy and going again in three days,” said Maresca.

Maresca was then asked about knocking Chelsea out of the title race again and again recently and whether this defeat illustrated why they may not be ready to challenge for the title.

“I said many times not because we win or lose a game that we are ready or not ready,” Maresca said. “That’s the feeling we have inside. The reality for us. This is why the best thing we can do is just focus on game by game and see the things we need to improve.”

Maresca on Madueke latest

In his post-match press conference, Maresca was also asked about Noni Madueke not being in the Chelsea squad against Fulham.

Maresca simply replied: “Technical decision.”

England international Madueke has lost his place in the starting line-up in recent weeks.