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The Chelsea head coach has reflected on another Premier League defeat for the faltering Blues.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca believes his team’s showing in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa proves they are capable of much better. 

The Italian stated that the manner of his side’s loss — their seventh of the 2024-25 season — meant it was the toughest of his first year in charge, but explained why there could be light at the end of the tunnel. 

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Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Two second-half goals from on-loan attacking midfielder Marco Asensio cancelled Enzo Fernandez’s early strike to inflict the West London club’s fifth league loss post-Christmas and a third in four matches. 

Reflecting on a third top-flight away loss — the Blues had been beaten 3-1 at Manchester City and 3-0 at Brighton before Saturday’s disappointment — Maresca highlighted why Chelsea’s promising performance could signify green shoots of recovery. 

“We have 12 games to go – and again, my feeling is that winning one, we go again,” said Maresca.

“If you remember; the first four or five away games at the start of the season, we won all of them and our best moments were away [from home]. It is football. The most important thing is to judge the performance.

“The reason why I said before that it is the toughest defeat of the season is because today, again, our team was there. You can recognise: off the ball, aggressive, on the ball, we tried to play and create chances.

“We probably are a bit unlucky. We need a win and try to go again.”

Chelsea could slip to seventh at the end of the round if Newcastle United defeat third-placed Nottingham Forest. 

What next for Chelsea? 

Maresca’s side aim to return to winning ways on Tuesday when they host bottom-placed Southampton at Stamford Bridge.