Maresca stands by team selection after Chelsea’s cup exit

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Enzo Maresca stood by his team selection following Chelsea’s exit from the Carabao Cup.

They were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle at St James’ Park, where head coach Maresca named an entirely different starting XI from the weekend’s league game against the Magpies.

Two goals in the space of three minutes midway through the first half – Alexander Isak’s cool finish and an own goal by Axel Disasi – took Newcastle through to the quarter-finals.

Maresca said: “I think it (changing the team) worked if we analyse the performance. If we analyse the result, it didn’t work, But for 22 or 23 minutes, until their (first) goal, we were in control.

“After that goal we lost control for 10 minutes and we also conceded the second one. In the second half we were in control of the game.”

Newcastle took the lead after a dreadful Chelsea mix-up as they attempted to play the ball out from the back.

Benoît Badiashile’s pass played Renato Veiga into trouble and, after Joelinton pressured the Portuguese, Sandro Tonali played in Alexander Isak, who fired past keeper Filip Jorgensen.

Another horrible moment for a Chelsea defender soon followed when Disasi attempted to deal with Joe Willock’s header from Isak’s deflected cross but succeeded only in volleying the ball into his own net.

Chelsea dominated the second half but were unable to find a way back into the tie.

Joao Felix missed a great chance to pull a goal back when he shot wide after being put through by Badiashile.

“We lost the game because of the 10 minutes after the first goal. For the rest we were quite good,” Maresca insisted.

“I think we did very well tonight apart from the goals we conceded. But for sure we have many things we can do better.’