Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola won six Premier League titles and City’s first Champions League among 20 trophies
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File image of Cole Palmer.© AFP

Enzo Maresca admitted Chelsea should not think about challenging for the Premier League title after lowly Ipswich beat the Blues 2-0 at Portman Road on Monday. Maresca’s side were rocked by Liam Delap’s early penalty and a second-half goal from former Chelsea winger Omari Hutchinson. Chelsea’s second successive defeat after their Boxing Day loss against Fulham left them without a win in their last three matches. The west Londoners had emerged as surprise title contenders after an eight-match winning run in all competitions.

But Maresca had insisted throughout that spell that Chelsea’s inexperienced squad do not have what it takes to win the title in his first season after arriving from Leicester.

And the Italian’s prediction looks spot on after a shock result in Suffolk that leaves Chelsea in fourth place, 10 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

“We focus game by game. We are not focused on title race or those things,” Maresca said.

“It was a strange game. We had many chances but we could do many things better, defend better in some moments.

“Now we’ve finished the first part of the season, no one expected us to be where we are. It’s a long race.”

Third-bottom Ipswich climb within one point of safety after winning for the second time in their last four matches.

Kieran McKenna’s side have renewed belief they can avoid relegation back to the Championship thanks to their first top-flight home win in 22 years.

“Special night for the club. First home win in the Premier League at Portman Road for 22 years and to do it against Chelsea was fantastic,” McKenna said.

“Everyone involved with Ipswich can enjoy a glass of sparkly stuff tomorrow night and think about some of the moments we’ve had over the last couple of years.”

– Delap domination –

Ipswich took the fight to Chelsea right from the start as Delap bullied the visitors’ defence in pugnacious fashion.

Delap raced onto Leif Davis’ inch-perfect pass in the 12th minute and went to ground after the faintest of kicks by Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Referee John Brooks awarded the spot-kick and Delap drilled into the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the season.

Cole Palmer almost levelled immediately when his free-kick from 22 yards smacked against the post.

Palmer’s superb left-footed cross was converted by Joao Felix midway through the first half but the Portugal striker’s powerful finish was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check.

Just before half-time, Palmer’s superb 20-yard curler looked destined for the top corner after Felix’s lay-off, only for Christian Walton to brilliantly parry onto the crossbar.

Felix’s header was cleared off the line by Wes Burns early in the second half before Walton thwarted Noni Madueke’s low effort.

Chelsea’s profligacy came back to haunt them as Ipswich doubled their lead in the 53rd minute.

Axel Disasi carelessly passed straight to Delap on the halfway line and he ran at Levi Colwill before passing back to Hutchinson.

Intelligently working a yard of space, Hutchinson drilled into the bottom corner.

It was a special goal for Hutchinson against a club that released him twice from their youth team.

Chelsea were unable to muster a response as Ipswich inflicted a painful defeat with repercussions at both ends of the table.

Enzo Maresca believes Manchester City will bounce back into Premier League title contention, while insisting it is “just reality” that Chelsea are not genuine challengers for the crown. Chelsea go into Thursday’s west London derby at home to Fulham second in the table and just four points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one game more than the Merseysiders. By contrast City, for all they have won an unprecedented four straight Premier League titles before this season, are now 12 points off the summit following a woeful run of nine defeats in 12 matches in all competitions.

But Maresca, who worked alongside City boss Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, said: “Manchester City at the end will be there. They are in a moment that has never happened before.

“Every time they play a game, they have an injury, and they don’t have enough players in this moment. And the ones they have are not 100 percent because they have just come back from injury, so it is a very bad situation.

“We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have, but the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team.”

Maresca, who has repeatedly dismissed any title talk concerning Chelsea, added: “It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.

“I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not.”

Maresca, asked if it was now Liverpool’s title to lose, replied: “No, the reality says we are second at the halfway point, so the table does reflect the teams.

“But Liverpool have done a fantastic job since the first day, and the squad has lived that kind of moment, winning a trophy, which is important.

“Last year, when Liverpool faced Chelsea in the Carabao (League) Cup final I saw the amount of finals that Liverpool players had played in, and the number of finals Chelsea players had played in, and there was a huge difference. So it shows the experience you need, but we are happy to be where we are.”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has urged skipper Reece James to show more “leadership” as he looks to galvanise his team. James made his first appearance of the season in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend after a long injury absence. The England right-back did not travel with the team for their UEFA Conference League win at Panathinaikos on Thursday. James is expected to feature against Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday and Maresca wants to more personality from him.

“I spoke with him and I expect from him more in terms of leadership inside the changing room,” Maresca told reporters.

“He’s on the way, he’s doing well, he’s progressing but I expect more.

“Most of the time, a player thinks that because I am captain I expect that you give me more. No, for me because you are the captain you have to give more. You have to give more than the rest. Sometimes, I am the captain I can give less? No, no, no.

“I expect it from Reece and his team-mates expect it from him to give always more in terms of leadership.”

Since being handed the armband by Maresca’s predecessor Mauricio Pochettino, James has played only 12 times for the club meaning his role as captain has largely been confined to his off-field influence.

Conor Gallagher, who has since been sold to Atletico Madrid, led the team for most of last season.

It leaves the Italian seeking change from within the dressing room in terms of developing leaders, though he said discussions with James – who is known to be a quieter member of the squad – about what he expects from him have been positive.

“He’s understanding that we’re expecting more from him,” he said.

“He’s our guy from the academy. It’s one of the reasons why he has to show more in terms of personality.

“He’s a reserved guy. But when you don’t have a proper leader, you need to build that. I think we don’t have a proper leader. We need to build them. Reece is one who is on the way but he’s not there. He needs to make an effort.”