Inside Enzo Maresca's 'angry' Chelsea half-time talk as Blues overcome Lincoln City | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca was a relieved figure when the full-time whistle blew to confirm Chelsea's win over Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup third round.

The 45-year-old warned his Chelsea side pre-match that it could be a difficult night for the Blues at the LNER Stadium, and he was proven right instantly after Lewis Montsma hit the post from inside the box.

Chelsea fell behind just before the break as Lincoln deservedly took the lead through Rob Street, who capitalised on Enzo Fernandez's attempted pass across the pitch to defender Trevoh Chalobah.

In Chelsea's players went inside the dressing room and it was likely Maresca would make his feeling abundantly clear, particularly when the same players were sent out early for the second half without any changes being made.

And Maresca's words must have been heard by the players as there was an instant response. Tyrique George drilled from distance within three minutes of the second half to level the game, before loanee Facundo Buonanotte completed the comeback with a goal from close range.

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Chelsea managed to hold on to book their place in the fourth round, ensuring Grimsby Town's upset against Manchester United, who the Blues lost to on Saturday in the Premier League, was not repeated.

Post-match, Maresca responded 'absolutely, absolutely, absolutely' when asked if any angry words were delivered at half-time.

As quoted by football.london, quizzed on how angry he was, Maresca replied: Absolutely, absolutely (laughs). No, because we prepared the game thinking exactly in the way it was (in) the first-half, and sometimes it's not about desire, it's about winning (the) second ball, but it's also about experience.

"Jamie Gittens never played against League One (teams), these kind of games. Jorrel never played this kind of game.

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"This kind of game, you have to play in a different way, you have to play in a different way. It's more about desire, and we struggled in the first half."

Maresca is taking the positives from Tuesday night's tie and believes if they face another similar side in round four, Chelsea will be better equipped to deal with their opponents.

The 45-year-old concluded: "If the next game in Carabao is again against (a) team (in) League One, League Two team away, for sure tonight the experience will be good for the next one. So, we need this experience. We need it.

"Also, because you know already about the age, the experience, players that never played these kind of games. So, tonight has been good also because we won the game."