The Football Faithful
·26 December 2024
The Football Faithful
·26 December 2024
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes his side ‘can learn things’ from their late defeat to Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
Cole Palmer put the hosts ahead with a superb goal 15 minutes into the game, finding the net in the Premier League for the 26th time in 2024 – the most ever scored by a Chelsea player in a calendar year in the competition.
Super sub Harry Wilson equalised late on, with all four of his goals this season coming off the bench against London rivals.
Another one of Marco Silva’s changes paid the ultimate dividend, as Rodrigo Muniz squeaked the ball home for a famous winner in stoppage time.
“It is a shame, especially in the way we lost the game in the last minute,” Maresca told BBC Match of the Day after the full-time whistle.
“It happened and now it is about recovering energy and ready to go again in a couple of days.
“We could have managed the game better, controlled better, but it is a game we can learn things.
“We have said many times we are a very, very young team but the most important thing is to see them growing and improving.
“Tomorrow we are in recovery and on Saturday we prepare for Monday game. It is important to recover the energy.
“I said many times no matter if we win games or don’t it is more the reality we can see inside that for many reason we are not ready [for a title challenge]. The most important thing is to see the team improve.”
Chelsea remain four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have played two games fewer, while Fulham move up to eighth in the table.