Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed his apprehension regarding the fitness of Reece James and Romeo Lavia during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. Following a strong performance from Mohamed Salah, who scored and assisted, Chelsea was unable to secure points, resulting in a setback in their Premier League campaign.
James, who made his season debut after overcoming injury issues, was a crucial presence for Chelsea. Lavia was also included in the starting lineup, but Maresca opted to substitute both players before the hour mark due to concerns about their fitness levels. “For James and Romeo, it was 45 minutes to one hour maximum. I was a bit afraid to give them more minutes, so I decided to change them after 50, 55 minutes,” he explained in the post-match press conference.
Despite the loss, Maresca found positives in his team’s performance, stating, “I think many good things about the performance. Overall, it was very good. To come to this stadium and dominate most of the game is not easy. If we were able to maintain the 1-1 for longer, then probably the result would have been different.”
When asked about goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s performance, Maresca expressed satisfaction: “I’m very happy with Robert; he’s doing fantastic with us, not only in building from the back but also making saves.”
Looking ahead, Chelsea will face Greek side Panathinaikos in the Conference League on Thursday, aiming to bounce back from their defeat at Anfield.
