“We have to be better”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admits his side are in a tough spot but is confident his side can break out of their slump.

The Blues slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday evening, with the London club dropping to sixth in the process.

It was their fifth defeat of the campaign, the same amount as Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Brighton.

Noni Madueke put the visitors ahead early on after a mistake by Abdukodir Khusanov, but the home side fought back, with goals from Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.

Maresca reflected on the match and admitted that he was frustrated by the missed chances.

He said: “The game started really well for us. We scored the first goal and could have scored the second goal two or three times. It would have changed the game completely. We just missed.

“The team was there, but in the last few minutes we conceded 1-1. The second goal changed the game. Robert is the first (to admit) that he knows he needs to do better. Work hard every day (it’s the way to improve). We try to have conversations with all of them.

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“We are making progress. We are better than a month or two ago. These moments will make us better.

“We scored the first and we could have scored the second and then against this team and these players, the game is always open. We conceded at the end of the first half and then the second half was probably 50/50.

“When you score at the end of the first half, and the best way is to avoid it. Probably for me, the game is different if we scored the second one.

“We have to be better but also playing the way we play, we scored the first and could have scored the second. If we could have scored him, the game could have been very different for us.”

Maresca added that he knows that City have quality players who can punish any opponent in the world.

And he again defended goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after being caught in no man’s land for City’s second.

“They have players who can change the game at any moment.

“In my opinion we are better than a month or two ago.

“Robert (Sánchez) is the first aware of the error. I think the second goal changed the mood.

“We are in a moment: match after match is an opportunity to learn.”