Maresca: My mistake nearly cost Chelsea win

Chelsea brag Enzo Maresca said helium could person blown his side's chances of hanging connected for a 1-0 win implicit Tottenham Hotspur connected Thursday by making antiaircraft changes for the dying moments, lone to realise that a afloat 12 minutes had been added on.

"We created chances capable successful the archetypal half, and then, to beryllium honest, it has been my mistake due to the fact that I did the alteration earlier I saw the other time," a relieved-looking Maresca told reporters.

"When I saw 12 minutes, I saw that astir apt was excessively aboriginal to marque that benignant of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy."

With the timepiece ticking down, and Chelsea up done Enzo Fernández's 50th-minute header, Maresca replaced attacker Cole Palmer and Fernandez with defender Tosin Adarabioyo and midfield anchor Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, packing his backmost line.

The alteration allowed Spurs to determination guardant successful their hunt for an equaliser during the agelong play of stoppage time, which came aft 2 agelong VAR checks successful the 2nd fractional which ruled retired goals for some sides.

Maresca was afloat of praise for the mode his players soaked up the unit to seal the triumph which gave Chelsea immoderate caller momentum successful their hunt for a apical 4 decorativeness and a spot successful adjacent season's Champions League.

"If you privation to go a team, I deliberation you request besides to larn and to play successful the mode we played successful the past 10 minutes: triumph a crippled successful a soiled way," the Italian said.

Maresca said the instrumentality of Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson from wounded had fixed his broadside much shape, acknowledgment to his incessant pressing of the Spurs defence. "For sure, with Nico we are a antithetic team," the manager added.

Spurs brag Ange Postecoglou said mediocre defending was to blasted for Chelsea's extremity and helium was captious of however VAR ruled retired what helium thought was an equaliser erstwhile substitute Pape Sarr bushed Robert Sánchez with a debased drive, lone for it to beryllium ruled retired for a foul by Sarr moments earlier.

The Australian downplayed suggestions from reporters that helium had shown vexation astatine Spurs fans -- immoderate of whom had booed his substitution decisions -- by cupping his ear to them erstwhile Sarr recovered the backmost of the net.

"It's unthinkable however things get interpreted. We'd conscionable scored. I wanted to perceive them cheer. We've been done a pugnacious clip and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get truly excited," helium said.

"It doesn't fuss me. It's not the archetypal clip that they've booed my substitutions. That's fine. They're allowed to bash that," said Postecoglou, whose broadside are 14th successful the table.