Enzo Maresca ready to turn attention to Premier League and Conference League | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca sidestepped outlining specific targets for the remainder of the season after suggesting Chelsea’s FA Cup exit may prove beneficial.

The Blues’ hopes of securing domestic silverware in Maresca’s maiden campaign in west London were effectively ended by Saturday evening’s 2-1 fourth-round loss at Premier League rivals Brighton.

Although the Italian termed elimination a “big shame”, he said it would allow his side to concentrate on their final 14 league fixtures and pursuing European glory in the Conference League.

Chelsea sit fourth in the top flight – 13 points behind leaders Liverpool – as they chase Champions League qualification, while they are scheduled to play in the last 16 of continental club football’s third-tier competition early next month.

Asked what would now constitute a positive season, head coach Maresca replied: “For me, a good season is seeing the team improving game after game, going through bad moments and difficulties because it’s the only thing that can bring this club to compete for something important (in the future).

“This is exactly what I think.

We can be focused on the Premier League and Conference League and hopefully we can finish in the right way

Enzo Maresca

“Now we can be focused on the Premier League and Conference League and hopefully we can finish in the right way.”

Bart Verbruggen’s own goal gifted Chelsea a fifth-minute lead on the south coast but Georginio Rutter quickly headed the Seagulls level before Kaoru Mitoma claimed a second-half winner.

In the absence of sidelined strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, the eight-time FA Cup winners rarely threatened to force extra-time.

Maresca defended the decision to allow forward Joao Felix to join AC Milan on loan for the rest of the season, having seen his attacking options depleted by injuries sustained in Monday’s 2-1 victory over West Ham.

While 19-year-old Spaniard Guiu, who has hit six Conference League goals this term but not started a league game, has a longer-term issue, key forward Jackson is expected to make a swift recovery.

“I don’t think we miss Joao; Joao is happy there and we are happy that Joao is happy there,” said Maresca, whose team return to the Amex Stadium on Friday evening for a league fixture.

“The only thing we can say is that no one predicted that on the (transfer) deadline we had two striker injuries.

“It’s something that is difficult to think. Unfortunately it happened. Nico can be back very soon.”

Brighton produced an impressive response to last weekend’s humiliating 7-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest and goalkeeper Verbruggen’s early error to deservedly progress to the fifth round.

Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler said match-winner Mitoma had not had his head turned by interest from Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr during the transfer window as he hailed the comeback victory as a “benchmark” for the remainder of the campaign.

“He’s pleased that he’s playing for Brighton because he knows what he gets from us and he knows he can develop here,” Hurzeler said of Japan winger Mitoma.

“He showed his commitment from the first day. He was never asking the club to respond to that offer. We showed an impressive reaction beside that on the pitch.”

Hurzeler, who is awaiting news on the injury which forced off captain Lewis Dunk at half-time, added: “Evenings like this you shouldn’t be too euphoric but also when you have bad losses like last weekend, you shouldn’t fall into panic.

“It’s very important to not overreact, to stay calm, to find the right solutions.

“That’s now a benchmark, the standard we set, how hard we can work on the pitch and that’s what I want to see now consistently.”