Ipswich 2-0 Chelsea: Liam Delap the difference as former Blue Omari Hutchinson compounds Chelsea's festive woes | OneFootball

Chelsea are entering the new year battered and bruised after a 0-2 defeat to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town condemned the Blues to two damaging losses on the bounce.

Enzo Maresca's men had the wind in their sails this season but a scoreless draw with Everton and a late collapse against neighbours Fulham made it a Christmas to forget. A shock and awe smash and grab from an Ipswich side picking up their first home win in the Premier League in 2024 made it a nightmare.

A succession of early barges on members of the Chelsea backline from the bruiser Liam Delap set the tone for a physical evening, with the Portman Road faithful in loud voice and enraptured by such ruthless aggression from their front man.

Warning signs were present from the off. Former Blue Omari Hutchinson skipped past Marc Cucurella and drove a low shot towards Nathan Broadhead, whose stabbed strike looked goalbound if not for a big Levi Colwill block.

A spate of early pressure paid dividends for the Tractor Boys - Delap stealing in ahead of the onrushing Filip Jorgensen and leaving a trailing leg to be brought down on the ten minute mark. VAR adjudge there to be enough contact for the on-field decision to stand, and the former Manchester City striker duly made no mistake from 12 yards, crashing his spot kick hard and low beyond the clutches of the Dane.

It was very nearly a quickfire brace for a man whom the west Londoners are reportedly eyeing up as some forward cover, with Jorgensen having to be alert to get a strong hand to a viciously struck attempt across the face. Chelsea were at sixes and sevens and playing with a cagey timidity that almost invited Ipswich to nip at their heels.

A succession of unfortunate events for the Pensioners thereafter suggested that lady luck would certainly do them no favours. A cutely taken free kick from Cole Palmer crashed off the inside of the post and into the path of Christopher Nkunku, who could only shovel the ball into the palms of Christopher Walton already prone on the ground. Palmer would then turn provider for Joao Felix with a peach of a cross and an even peachier finish, only for VAR to find the Portuguese had gone a tad too early after a bizarrely lengthy stoppage - much to the chagrin of the travelling fans.

The Blues continued to pile forward underterred by these setbacks. Cucurella lashed one wide, Moises Caicedo hit one just over the bar from outside the box, and Felix drew a comfortable stop from Ipswich's man between the sticks when he perhaps should have passed to options available. The Town delivered a timely reminder of their threat on the counter, breaking fast before Delap bypassed Tosin Adarabioyo to sting the palms of Jorgensen.

Enzo Fernandez's blocked attempt after a nicely worked move and a super fingertip save from Walton to deny Palmer on the cusp of half-time were the last meaningful actions of a frustrating 45 minutes for the visitors, giving Maresca plenty of food for thought at the interval. With Ipswich having kept one clean sheet all season before this evening, the message would surely been one of patience.

Although you could hardly blame the travelling faithful for their patience wearing thin when the second half started off much like the first ended - a Felix header being cleared off the line by Wes Burns as Chelsea continued to conspire not to score. Walton also denied Noni Madueke with his feet from a tight angle before the 50th minute.

Matters would only go from bad to worse. Ipswich's club record signing Omari Hutchinson, acquired from Chelsea, firing home a low finish in minute 54 after the utterly aimless Axel Disasi had misplaced a wayward pass and been left all ends up by the Jamaican.

Maresca turned to his bench, with Nicolas Jackson and Jadon Sancho entering the fray. But the hosts continued to pose the most threat, hitting the away side on the break and with Hutchinson and Delap running the beleagured Blues backline ragged - two individuals not born when Ipswich last won at home in Premier League. Another ferocious shot by the latter called Jorgensen into action with 15 minutes remaining.

A handful of chances came and went for Jackson, including one in which the offside flag spared his blushes after firing wide when clear and one-on-one with Walton. In truth, clear opportunities were few and far between, with Chelsea utterly devoid of any creativity or ideas. The only fight they could muster was that of the physical kind, with Colwill and Fernandez - two players highlighted as leaders by their coach - taking turns to lose their heads as events descended into farce.

The Pensioners are infamous for their historic travails in December, but tonight marked their first loss in their final league game of a year since 2011. Records aside, the soul searching begins to stop the rot in the here and now. A trip to Crystal Palace this weekend now looks a must win to stop the Blues entering freefall in a packed league table.