Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca didn’t look too happy as his side were stunned by Fulham lost 2-1 in the west London derby on Boxing Day.

The Blues were unbeaten in nine Premier League games but after Cole Palmer gave them a first-half lead his side stepped on the gas and Fulham scored two late goals and a deserved win.

Maresca’s Chelsea remain on 35 points and have now given Liverpool a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Enzo Maresca’s reaction to Chelsea’s loss to Fulham

“I think we probably gave them too many rallies in the first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half,” Maresca told Prime Video in the UK. “We were able to control the second half much better, especially the first 15 to 20 minutes. Then the game was there. But unfortunately we conceded the goal in the last minute.”

Did Maresca agree with Cole Palmer’s assessment that Chelsea had lost control of the game?

“That’s exactly what I told them,” Palmer said. “We can manage the game better. I think we made too many substitutions in the second half. It’s a team with Iwobi, Adama and Jimenez, they are very good in transition. You have to control better. It’s a game where we can learn a lot.”

“We have to manage the game better. Especially the second half. We knew full well that this was a team that often plays in the transition phase because they have very good transition players. We could avoid that. We were able to avoid a few minutes, but in the first 15 to 20 minutes of the second half we conceded too many rallies. We have to avoid that.”

Does the defeat to Fulham feel like a missed opportunity for Chelsea as they could have been just a point behind leaders Liverpool?

“I think it’s just a game that we unfortunately lost. Now it’s just a matter of recharging your batteries and getting going again in three days,” said Maresca.

Maresca was then asked if she has consistently ruled Chelsea out of the title race recently and whether this defeat highlights why they may not be ready to challenge for the title.

“I have often said that we are ready or not ready, not because we win or lose a game,” Maresca said. “It’s the feeling we have inside of us. The reality for us. That’s why the best thing we can do is focus on each game and figure out what we need to improve.”