Maresca drops the ax from the national team… and says Delap ‘could be important for England’

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has resisted requests to elaborate on the omission of Noni Madueke from his squad against Fulham, calling the move a “technical decision”.

Striker Madueke was sent off for Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Everton on December 22 and was ruled out entirely for the first time in the Premier League this season as his side suffered a 2- 1 at home on Thursday against the Cottagers.

“Sometimes we make some decisions and it’s nothing more than that,” Maresca replied when pressed repeatedly on the surprise selection call.

Noni Madueke POV 🥇#CFC | #YOU HAVE pic.twitter.com/rQLF87wCUE

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 5, 2024

Noni Madueke “responded very well”

Maresca first publicly told Madueke to improve in August and said the 22-year-old “has to work harder” when he was dropped for the 4-3 win at Tottenham on 8 December.

Three of Madueke’s six goals this season came in a 6-2 win at Wolves on August 25, and the England international also provided a goal and assist in a 5-1 win against Southampton on December 4

His manager had given Madueke 19 minutes in Chelsea’s previous game, when he scored a goal in a 3-0 home win over Aston Villa.

Asked how Madueke had reacted to his earlier remarks, Maresca, who preferred to name two goalkeepers on his bench against Fulham, said: “He responded very well… nothing more than that.”

The 23rd player to score a #PL Hat-trick for Chelsea: Noni Madueke 🌟💙#CFC | #WORK pic.twitter.com/LsfFN9wH4i

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 26, 2024

Liam Delap “fantastic”

Fulham scored in the 82nd and 95th minutes to come from behind and consign Chelsea to a first defeat in 13 games in all competitions, as well as their first in the league since a 2-1 defeat at leaders Liverpool in October 20

The second-placed Blues have a 23-point lead over second-placed Ipswich Town, who they visit on Monday (19.45GMT), and Maresca is a fan of the Tractor Boys’ six-goal top scorer Liam Delap after ‘having worked with the 21-. striker for a year during his time as manager of Manchester City.

“We have a bad feeling about losing,” said Maresca. “We know that the reality is not to lose a game every two months. It’s about how we react.

“Liam is a fantastic player, for his age. He works a lot with the ball and understands the game with the ball.

“Because of his age, he can be an important player for England. We spent a year together… England are very lucky because they have a lot of good strikers”.

Ipswich agreed a deal with City in July worth up to £20m for Delap, who is yet to win an England cap but has played for his country at youth level, winning the Euros under -19 in 2022.