Enzo Maresca conceded Chelsea must abandon any thoughts of a Premier League title challenge after a 2-0 defeat to struggling Ipswich Town on Monday night.
Liam Delap’s early penalty and a second-half strike from former Chelsea winger Omari Hutchinson sealed a memorable victory for Ipswich, leaving Chelsea winless in three consecutive matches. The Blues had previously been buoyed by an eight-game winning streak across all competitions, sparking talk of an unlikely title bid.
However, Maresca, who joined Chelsea from Leicester in the summer, consistently tempered expectations, warning that his youthful squad was not ready to compete for the title in his debut season.
His caution was vindicated at Portman Road, where Chelsea’s second successive loss, following their Boxing Day defeat to Fulham, left them fourth in the table, 10 points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who hold a game in hand.
“We focus game by game. We are not thinking about the title race or anything like that,” Maresca said. “It was a strange game. We had many chances, but there were things we could do better—defending in key moments especially.
“Now we’ve finished the first part of the season, no one expected us to be in this position. It’s a long race.”
For Ipswich, the win was a landmark moment. The third-bottom Tractor Boys moved to within a point of safety, bolstered by their first Premier League home victory in 22 years.
“It was a special night for the club,” Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said. “To beat Chelsea and claim our first top-flight home win in over two decades is fantastic. Everyone connected with Ipswich can savour this moment and look back on some incredible memories.”
From the kickoff, Ipswich took the game to Chelsea, with Delap bullying the visitors’ defence. His pressure earned an early penalty, which he calmly converted, setting the tone for the match.
Chelsea struggled to impose themselves, and Hutchinson’s decisive second-half goal only deepened their woes, highlighting the fragility of Maresca’s inexperienced squad as the season reached its midway point.
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