Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed little surprise at Liam Delap’s standout performance after the Ipswich Town striker played a pivotal role in his team’s 2-0 victory over the Blues on Monday night.

Delap opened the scoring at Portman Road with a composed penalty, before Omari Hutchinson sealed the win with a goal early in the second half, marking a historic triumph for Ipswich against Chelsea.

Maresca, who previously worked with Delap during his coaching stint at Manchester City, acknowledged the young striker’s talent when asked about his display. “This is Liam,” Maresca said. “I’ve known him for a while now. Perhaps we could have defended better in certain moments, but credit to him and to Ipswich for their performance.”

Delap, now 21, has been enjoying a breakout season in the Premier League, with Monday’s goal taking his tally to seven for the campaign. Chelsea have reportedly shown interest in signing the forward, and Maresca was full of praise for his former protégé both before and after the game.

“Liam is an exceptional player, especially for his age,” Maresca said. “When I worked with him, he scored over 20 goals in a season. He’s a great striker who understands the game, works hard both on and off the ball, and knows how to find the back of the net. I genuinely believe he has the potential to become an important player for England in the future.”

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna also commended Delap’s performance, emphasizing the striker’s rapid development. “Liam keeps improving at an incredible rate,” McKenna said. “He’s a joy to watch, and his unique style sets him apart. Facing top-tier Premier League defenders every week, he continues to rise to the challenge.”

McKenna added, “Tonight, Liam was outstanding, but he wasn’t alone. It was a fantastic team effort, and his contributions were vital.”

Reflecting on the match, Maresca lamented Chelsea’s inability to capitalize on their opportunities. “It was a strange game,” he admitted. “In the first half and the opening minutes of the second, we created multiple chances—Joao [Felix] had a header, and there was another clear opportunity—but we just couldn’t convert.”

He continued, “The second goal from Ipswich was a turning point. Sometimes, when you create so many chances but hit the post, have shots blocked, or see saves from the keeper, it feels like it just isn’t your night. Credit to Ipswich, though—their defensive effort and determination were exceptional.”

The defeat marked Ipswich’s first victory over Chelsea since 1993 and delivered another setback for Maresca’s side in what has been an unpredictable season.

Marc Cucurella has broken his silence after being sent off in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against Brentford on Sunday. The Spanish defender received a second yellow card after the final whistle, resulting in a red card that will see him miss Chelsea’s next Premier League match against Everton.

Earlier in the game, Cucurella had played a pivotal role, scoring a precise header to give the Blues the lead in the first half. Despite his dismissal, Chelsea’s win kept them within two points of league leaders Liverpool, highlighting the importance of Cucurella’s contributions this season.

Following the match, Cucurella took to Instagram to share a brief but positive message. Posting a photo of himself celebrating his goal, the left-back wrote: “Good win at home to finish off the week! We go again.”

The suspension means Cucurella will miss the clash with Everton but will return for Chelsea’s Boxing Day fixture against Fulham.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was asked about the incident in his post-match interview but admitted he didn’t witness it firsthand.

“When the final whistle blew, I was celebrating with my staff, so I didn’t see what happened,” Maresca said.

The Italian manager praised Cucurella’s performance, describing it as exceptional. “Marc was fantastic both on and off the ball. Along with the other 10 players, he gave a top performance. We’re very pleased with his contribution tonight.”

When questioned about potential discipline issues within the squad, Maresca dismissed the idea but acknowledged room for improvement in game management.

“No, I don’t think there’s a discipline problem,” he said. “I’ve said before, there are things we can improve—how we attack, how we defend, and how we handle certain moments.

“The second yellow card, perhaps, wasn’t the right decision or action, but these are situations we can learn from. Overall, the team’s spirit is excellent, and these moments are part of football.”

Cucurella’s absence will undoubtedly be felt, as the former Brighton & Hove Albion player has been one of Chelsea’s standout performers this season. His strong form has been crucial in maintaining the team’s title push, and fans will be eager to see him back in action when his suspension ends.

Tottenham fans hurled paper at Chelsea players, including Cole Palmer, during the first half of Sunday’s 4-3 loss, and the FA is currently investigating the incident.

Tottenham could face disciplinary action from the Football Association after fans threw objects onto the pitch during their loss to Chelsea.

Spurs lost 4-3 to their London rivals in an action-packed Premier League match on Sunday night. The home team took a 2-0 lead inside 11 minutes with goals from Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski before Chelsea fought back.

A strong effort from Jadon Sancho, two penalties from Cole Palmer and a goal from Enzo Fernandes gave them a 4-2 lead before Son Heung-min scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the game. There were other incidents on the pitch as well. Kulusevski and Moises Caicedo were probably lucky not to receive red cards in the first half. The match was played in a raucous atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which erupted in the first half.

Before the match, Spurs fans in the South Stand were given pieces of paper to make a giant tifo with the words “audere est facere” (Latin for “courageous action”, the club’s motto). These pieces of paper were thrown onto the pitch by some fans as Chelsea players made their way to the far corner of the stadium.

The FA is investigating the incident and will review the footage and referee Anthony Taylor’s match report before taking any further action. To compound a poor result against their rivals, Tottenham could be penalised for the behaviour of their fans. Among the players targeted from set-pieces were Palmer, Fernandes, Sancho and Pedro Neto. Taylor was called in to sort out the problem and stewards helped Chelsea players clear the object that had been thrown in their direction from the pitch.

“People in the stands, where are the stewards? Don’t just stand there and watch, get in,” an exasperated Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports. “What are the Tottenham stewards doing?” There were three guys behind Cole Palmer, just standing there watching him.

The actions of the Spurs fans seemed unfazed by Palmer, who calmly picked up the material and kicked it off the pitch, waiting for order to be restored before standing in the corner. It took until the second half for him to really blossom and have an impact on the Blues’ game.

He calmly converted his first penalty after Yves Bissouma slid into the box to foul Caicedo, sending Fraser Forster flying the other way. The 22-year-old England star made it 4-2 with his second penalty in the middle after being brought down clumsily by Pape Sarr inside the penalty area.

The win moved Chelsea into second place, overtaking Arsenal, who drew 1-1 with Fulham on Sunday. Tottenham, on the other hand, suffered their seventh defeat in 15 league games