Enzo Maresca bemoans poor Chelsea finishing against Crystal Palace but makes Premier League table claim

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·4 January 2025

Enzo Maresca bemoans poor Chelsea finishing against Crystal Palace but makes Premier League table claim

Chelsea boss insisted he is still not paying any attention to the table

Enzo Maresca bemoaned his Chelsea side’s wasteful finishing after they were punished by Crystal Palace’s late equaliser at Selhurst Park.

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The Blues dominated the first-half of Saturday’s Premier League meeting and made a host of chances even as the Eagles improved after the break, but failed to add to Cole Palmer’s 14th-minute opener.

In all, they managed 15 shots but just one on target and Jean-Philippe Mateta eventually struck eight minutes from time to earn Oliver Glasner’s men a share of the points.

“Between the first-half and second-half, we created enough chances to win the game but in football you need to be clinical otherwise the game is always open,” Maresca said.

“Especially in this stadium - any transition, any corner boosts the energy for them. Unfortunately at the end we conceded but I think overall we did enough to win the game.

“Today, if I had to decide the reason we didn’t win the game, it’s to try to be clinical when you have the chance to kill the game because at 2-0 it’s probably finished.”

The 1-1 draw means Chelsea’s winless run now stands at four games and from the heels of Premier League leaders Liverpool they have slipped back into the heart of a crowded race for the top four.

Newcastle are just a point adrift in fifth after a run of five straight league wins, while Manchester City are showing signs of revival and are just one point further back in sixth.

Maresca, however, insists he is not yet worrying about his team’s position in the table even as the season edges past its midway stage.

“Two weeks ago or three weeks ago we were talking about the title race,” he added. “We knew that Newcastle and Aston Villa will be there [in the top four race], Manchester City will, for sure, be there.

“So, for me it’s not about the table, it’s just about how we can improve things. This moment of the season, I knew it’s going to happen in any season in any team, you’ll have some moments where you can’t win games.”