Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato has pointed to a sluggish restart after halftime as the decisive factor in the Blues’ 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
In what unfolded as a classic game of two halves, Chelsea were left to rue a costly dip in intensity after the break.
During the first half, both sides went toe-to-toe, creating chances and showing attacking intent. As a result, the contest remained finely balanced heading into the interval, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage.
However, the momentum swung dramatically in the second period.
City came out sharper and more aggressive, and within a devastating 17-minute spell, they took full control of the game.
Goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, and Jeremy Doku ultimately sealed all three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Consequently, Hato, who partnered Wesley Fofana in central defence, admitted that Chelsea’s drop in level after conceding the first goal proved costly.
“It’s disappointing because of how we started the second half,” Hato said.
“I think the first half was a good game from both sides. We created some chances, they had some chances too but as soon as we conceded the first goal in the second half.
“We seemed to lose our shape and in the end they took the game away from us and it wasn’t good enough [our response].
“It’s clear that the way we started the second half wasn’t good and to be fair to City, they had three or four chances in five minutes and we struggled to get hold of the ball higher up the pitch.
“The way we came out of the changing room [for the second half] wasn’t good enough and once they scored, it seemed like the level dropped. We have to be better than this.”
Despite the setback, Chelsea remain in sixth place and firmly in contention for a top-five finish.
Nevertheless, the gap between them and chasing rivals continues to narrow, increasing the pressure heading into the final stretch of the season.
Looking ahead, Hato stressed the importance of bouncing back quickly, with a crucial fixture against Manchester United on the horizon.
“We still have a very good chance to get Champions League football for next season, but we know we need to be better in our performances,” added the Dutch defender.
“For a club like Chelsea, we expect to be competing at the top and we want to reach the Champions League next season again. So we have to improve, and we have to be better.
“We have six games left in the Premier League so we have a lot to fight for but we know we need to improve, forgot this one quickly and move onto another big game next week.”
As the run-in gathers pace, Chelsea must quickly regroup and raise their levels, knowing that every match now carries significant weight in their push for European qualification.
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