
Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes suffered a major blow on Monday as they fell 10 points behind Liverpool following a 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town. The loss highlighted Chelsea’s inability to heed manager Enzo Maresca’s pre-match warning about Ipswich striker Liam Delap.
The 21-year-old forward was instrumental in Ipswich’s victory, scoring a penalty and assisting Omari Hutchinson’s goal, securing their first home win of the season. Delap, who has now netted seven league goals since joining Ipswich from Manchester City, proved to be a thorn in Chelsea’s side.
Maresca, who had described Delap as a “fantastic player” before the game, admitted his team struggled to contain the young striker. Reflecting on the match, Maresca called the defeat “strange,” citing Chelsea’s missed opportunities and the outstanding performance of Ipswich’s goalkeeper.
Delap, meanwhile, expressed hope that the victory could spark a turnaround for Ipswich as they look to climb out of the relegation zone in the second half of the season.