Enzo Maresca continued to pour chilly water on his facet’s Premier League title aspirations, regardless of Chelsea transferring to inside two factors of Liverpool.
A 2-1 win over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday noticed the Blues minimize the hole on the prime, after Liverpool may solely draw with Fulham on Saturday.
Objectives from Marc Cucurella, who was despatched off after full-time, and Nicolas Jackson bought the job performed, however they had been made to carry on as Bryan Mbeumo grabbed one again for Brentford close to the top.
Maresca has been adamant that his facet usually are not but prepared for a title battle, and regardless of a fifth straight league win, he nonetheless believes there are points for his gamers to iron out earlier than they’ll name themselves challengers, with Brentford’s late purpose being a main instance.
“It’s not about what number of video games we win, it’s about being practical,” Maresca instructed BBC Sport.
“There are issues we’ve to do higher. In case you see the purpose we conceded it was a throw-in to us, 90 minutes.
“The group which can be able to compete for [the title] use the ball in the correct means.”
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Chelsea had 26 pictures, getting eight on track, and Maresca feels they need to have put the outcome to mattress lengthy earlier than Mbeumo teed up a grandstand end.
He added: “Within the first half, we had been answerable for the sport. We may have scored extra objectives.
“The second half besides the final 10 minutes the place we struggled, which is regular, we deserved to win the sport.”
Cucurella was given a second yellow card after the ultimate whistle for dissent and Maresca needs to see extra maturity from his facet going ahead.
“I didn’t see the second yellow card. The referee stated the second yellow card was for dangerous angle. There are issues we are able to do higher,” he stated.
“I stated we’ve many issues we are able to do higher and this [Cucurella’s red card] is one among them.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank, in the meantime, was pleased with what he noticed from his group, who’ve picked up only one level on the street all season.
The Dane instructed BBC Sport: “We performed an excellent sport right here. We had been unfortunate to not get a draw. Some huge probabilities we missed ultimately.
“We managed for the 90 minutes to go toe to toe with Chelsea, particularly within the second half. A draw would have been truthful.
“Chelsea are an excellent group, properly coached, excellent gamers.
“They’re taking part in with confidence and credit score to them for pushing us again within the first half. They’re proper up there within the title race. They’re excellent.
“In case you have a look at the efficiency in the present day towards a prime group who will go proper to the top of the season and attempt to win the title, the way in which they celebrated it was clear they revered us and we may simply have gotten one thing.”
