Chelsea dropped out of the top four of the Premier League after they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The Blues haven’t beaten the Premier League champions since 2021, and their performance for the majority of the game suggested that they didn’t have the belief they could change that today.
Questions will yet again be asked of Robert Sanchez between the sticks, with him picking up a bizarre position that allowed Erling Haaland an easy opportunity to score from what at first looked a difficult angle.
The most frustrating thing as far as Chelsea fans are concerned is the fact that the Blues were handed the perfect start to the game, taking the lead through Noni Madueke just three minutes into the game.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea didn’t capitalise on Abdukodir Khusanov’s horror start
City debutant Abdukodir Khusanov’s time in the Premier League got off to the worst possible start as his backwards header went straight to Nicolas Jackson, who put it on a plate for his winger.
The 20-year-old’s time got a whole lot worse just seconds later after he was carded for a poor challenge on Cole Palmer.
With the game just minutes old, the opportunity was there for Chelsea to target Khusanov, as well as Matheus Nunes next to him playing in an unfamiliar right-back role.
However, Chelsea reacted to this moment by immediately limiting their press and seeming to look to nullify their opponents, rather than take the game to them.
Enzo Maresca’s mixed first season at Chelsea
Enzo Maresca is only in his first season in the Premier League, and while he has been impressive on the whole there are obviously going to be moments where his inexperience shows.
Not targeting the very obvious weakness at the back was one of these moments, and the quality that City have made it very clear that they were going to struggle to keep them out.
Pep Guardiola will have no doubt been delighted to take all three points and move above Chelsea in the table, however he will be aware that there was a real opportunity for Chelsea to take the game to them, and it is one that Maresca didn’t take.
