Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has described Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa as the “toughest defeat of the season,” following yet another frustrating night for the Blues.

Maresca, speaking after the match, highlighted Chelsea’s efforts but admitted that the team’s struggles in front of goal, especially without a recognised No.9, played a role in their failure to secure three points.

“The reason why I said before that it is the toughest defeat of the season is because today, again, our team was there,” Maresca explained.

“You can recognise: off the ball, aggressive, on the ball, tried to play and create chances. Without a No.9 in the last two games, we struggled to create chances.”

Chelsea experimented with Pedro Neto in a more advanced role during training, and Maresca felt the move paid off in terms of attacking output.

“Today, we tried Pedro during the week, it worked very good, attacking in behind and creating chances, scored a goal but it is a moment where we probably are a bit unlucky. We need a win and try to go again.”

Despite the disappointment, Maresca remains focused on guiding Chelsea through this difficult period, as the Blues look to rediscover their winning touch in the coming fixtures.