Chelsea: Enzo Maresca makes experience admission in light of hostile Newcastle atmosphere | OneFootball

Blues fought back from two down on Tyneside

Enzo Maresca has admitted Chelsea would be more likely to cope with hostile atmospheres like St James' Park if they had more experienced players.

The Blues made a poor and error-filled start to the game and two Nick Woltemade goals had the Magpies two up inside 20 minutes, but the visitors came back after half time thanks to goals by Reece James and Joao Pedro.

The Italian had said: “When you have a 20, 21-year-old and a player who is 30, 31 years old, and he starts to say something [to them], it's invaluable. But it's the strategy of the club [of younger players].

“Overall, very happy. I just focus on what I can control, pitch-side, knowing that there is always noise you need to manage.”

Chelsea have the youngest squad in the Premier League, and despite praising his players for their second-half recovery at Newcastle, Maresca did accept that greater experience would make his team less likely to be overawed at hostile grounds.

The west Londoners had lost all of their last four matches at St James’ Park, dating back to 2021, and Manchester City lost there last month to further evidence the widely-held belief that Newcastle away is one of the Premier League’s most difficult fixtures.

Asked whether more experience would help in tougher away games, Maresca replied: “Yes, for sure. Because probably they know better how to manage this kind of noise or this kind of situation.

“But I think the ones we have are doing a great job also in this aspect.”