Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left to ponder what could have been after his side struggled to break down a well-organized Everton defense in Sunday’s disappointing goalless draw in a huge blow to their title aspirations.
The Blues came into the game knowing a victory would take them temporarily to the summit of the English Premier League but were unable to make their chances count as the Toffees held on for a deserved draw.
“Defensively they are top – they are one of the five-best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets so you struggle to create chances against them”, Maresca said after the game.
“All in all in these kind of games, knowing you are not going to create many chances, you have to be clinical.”
The Blues best chance of the game fell to Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson who was denied from close range by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford before hitting the post with a header moments later.
“If you are able to be clinical then and score, the game can be completely different but until that moment you will struggle.”
The disappointing result along with Liverpool’s convincing 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur ensured that Chelsea will go into the festive season four points behind the league leaders who still have a game in hand.
“The reason why was I was quite worried about this game: tricky game, tricky stadium, tricky team.
We prepare the game to win every game but sometimes there are other teams there who try to do the same so we are happy today.”
The Blues will hope to get back to winning ways when they face London neighbors Fulham on Boxing day.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
