Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca felt his facet deserved greater than a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool this afternoon.
The guests are nonetheless a piece in progress below the Italian however confirmed sufficient at Anfield to counsel they’ll problem for a top-four spot on the finish of the season.
Mohamed Salah’s penalty put Liverpool in entrance just for Nicolas Jackson to stage in the beginning of the second half. Parity was short-lived, although, with Curtis Jones rapidly netting what turned out to be the winner.
Defeat at Anfield.#CFC | #LIVCHE pic.twitter.com/3tRRFxqimJ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 20, 2024
Maresca instructed Sky Sports activities: “We don’t wish to lose or drop factors, however I actually favored the efficiency. We deserved one thing extra however the efficiency was good.
“We managed a lot of the recreation. We had possibilities, we had possession. We don’t wish to lose, but when we’ve got to decide on that is the way in which. The group was courageous on and off the ball.
“I don’t suppose this recreation defines the place we’re. We ready in the easiest way, it labored fairly effectively. It’s important to take possibilities, however general I’m very pleased with the gamers.”
Returning James echoes Maresca
Chelsea captain Reece James made his first begin of the season at right-back after lastly regaining full health and he additionally felt Chelsea had been unfortunate to return residence empty-handed.
The England worldwide mentioned: “Coming right here is at all times robust. I feel we managed a lot of the recreation. They’d possibilities however we had a couple of possibilities as effectively however didn’t take them.
“We’re undoubtedly shifting in the suitable path. The scoreline doesn’t mirror the sport.
“If we step again and take a look at performances and what we are attempting to do, we’ve got come a good distance. It’s nonetheless early days, we haven’t been with the supervisor lengthy.”
Slot noticed it in a different way
Liverpool returned to the highest of the Premier League with the win, having been deposed by Manchester Metropolis earlier within the day.
And Arne Slot was delighted his gamers discovered a strategy to win in what he described as their hardest recreation of the season.
The Dutchman instructed BBC Match of the Day: “Many different video games had been arduous however this might need been the toughest possibly due to the quantity of high quality gamers they’ve and the construction they’ve. We needed to battle actually arduous to get this one over the road.”
Slot felt Liverpool should have had a second penalty when Jones was introduced down within the field however replays confirmed Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had performed the ball first.
He added: “The sport grew to become troublesome for us as a result of there have been a couple of choices for my part that didn’t go for us, essentially the most essential was once we thought we had the penalty earlier than half time. To go 2-0 earlier than half-time would make an enormous distinction from 1-0. Then we conceded however we stepped up once more and scored the second.
“Within the Premier League there are such a lot of good groups so if you wish to win not less than you must battle after which hopefully the people could make the distinction.
“It helps for those who play in opposition to a Chelsea, it’s a large recreation and everybody feels it. We felt it and the followers felt it as a result of they had been there for us in the present day.
“We confirmed up, that was a very powerful factor.”
