Enzo Maresca admits it is important his Chelsea players show a response against Ipswich Town after their recent setback.
The Blues followed up a frustrating goalless draw against lowly Everton with a late 2-1 home defeat to west London rivals Fulham last time out.
Chelsea don't have to wait long to get that defeat out of their system when they travel to relegation fighter Ipswich Town on Monday.
Maresca said ahead of the Premier League trip to Portman Road: “We never thought we would win every game.
“We lost on August 18, and then after two months, and then after two months.
“But we know the reality is not that we lose one match every two months. It's a matter of how we respond and try to go again.”
Maresca has not been afraid to cut and change his team this season and plans to do so again against Ipswich.
“We'll see if we make one change, two changes or three changes, but we're definitely going to change something.
“After a match you have to go again, regardless of the result. Especially this month.”
Keeping things running. pic.twitter.com/Z1ADndDytE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 28, 2024
Chelsea have fallen one place to third-place Arsenal, now seven points behind leaders Liverpool, after playing a game more.
Opponents Ipswich have lost five of the past six league matches, the last of which was a 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
Town proved to be a stubborn opponent against Arsenal and head coach Kieran McKenna hopes to take some positive points into the game against Chelsea.
“It was a good step back in the right direction for us,” he told Amazon Prime after the Arsenal game.
“It was important that we finished the game solid and we feel we can be compact. We gain confidence from that.
“I think this is something to take confidence from. Some of our defense was good and we will need that against Chelsea on Monday.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ipswich – Liam Delap
McKenna's side have gone back-to-back games without scoring, with Delap registering a total of just one shot in his 164 minutes on the pitch in those two games combined.
Delap has scored double the number of goals (six) than any other Ipswich player since returning to the Premier League, but his six-match wait to find the back of the net will be a concern for McKenna.
Chelsea Cole Palmer
Palmer put Chelsea ahead in the defeat to Fulham and made it 26 Premier League goals for 2024 – the most by any Chelsea player in a single calendar year in the competition's history.
As if that wasn't daunting enough for Ipswich, Palmer has been involved in a goal 11 times in the past seven league matches against promoted sides, with an average of a goal or assist every 54 minutes.
Thanks for your support in North London and on the road in 2024, Town fans. pic.twitter.com/SQiQY7Xooe
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) December 27, 2024
MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN
Ipswich have won just one of their past 14 league games against Chelsea and are winless in seven games going into this, in a run dating back to August 1993.
However, given the large number of draws at Portman Road over the years, Chelsea have played more Premier League away games at this venue without ever winning (five) than at any other venue.
However, Chelsea have lost just one of their past 12 away games in the Premier League and have scored in all but one of their games with the exception of their last trip against Everton.
Ipswich, meanwhile, is winless in all nine top-flight home games this season, losing five and drawing the other four. Only four teams have failed to win one of their first ten home games in a Premier League campaign.
Chelsea are also unbeaten all five times when they faced a promoted side in their final Premier League match of a calendar year (W4 D1), although the only time they failed to win was a 2-2 draw at Ipswich in 2000.
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