adminEnzo Maresca disagrees with ‘deserved’ Eddie Howe claim moments after Newcastle United 2-2 Chelsea
Even after Chelsea had drawn level at 2-2, Newcastle United still had opportunities to snatch a late winner, with Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga both going close in the closing stages. In the end, however, the points were shared at full-time.
The result continued a worrying trend for the Magpies, who have now dropped 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season. They also remain without a single point in any game in which they have fallen behind.
Despite the statistics, Eddie Howe felt his side had done enough to claim victory. Reflecting on the match, the Newcastle head coach admitted the draw was laced with frustration, particularly for his players.
Howe believed Newcastle delivered their strongest first-half performance of the campaign but felt they failed to make it count on the scoreboard. He highlighted the team’s energy, intensity and quality in the opening period, praising their ability to create dangerous moments inside the penalty area. Ultimately, though, he was left disappointed that such an effort did not result in all three points.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, however, took a different view when presented with Howe’s comments after the game.
Maresca acknowledged Newcastle’s dominance in the first half but argued Chelsea were the superior side after the interval and felt they had done enough to win the contest. He pointed to the two goals his team scored in the second half and believed they could have added more, noting that Barnes’ late chance was the only clear opening he recalled for Newcastle after the break.
The Italian also highlighted the importance of the early goal Chelsea conceded, explaining that it allowed Newcastle to dictate the tempo of the game. He felt the turning point came at half-time, when Chelsea made tactical adjustments and refocused on scoring first after the restart.
Maresca insisted his message to the players at the interval was calm rather than confrontational, stressing that getting the next goal would give Chelsea a genuine chance to complete the comeback.
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