Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca suggested his team could use more experienced players after a chaotic week, as Chelsea struggled before fighting back to draw with Newcastle.
Maresca said the speculation about his future would not affect the squad, but Chelsea looked distracted in the first half at St James’ Park, going 2-0 down to goals from Nick Woltemade. The Blues were sloppy in defence, poor on the ball and failed to register a shot on target before half-time.
After the break, Chelsea showed much more fight. Reece James pulled one back with a brilliant 25-yard free-kick, and Joao Pedro scored a fine equaliser to complete the comeback. Chelsea were also helped by a controversial moment when Newcastle were denied a penalty just before the equaliser.
In the build-up to the game, Maresca hinted that relying only on young players may be a problem, saying older players are “invaluable” when it comes to leadership. His comments came after a tough week that included links to Manchester City and questions about his relationship with Chelsea’s owners.
Despite the noise off the pitch, Chelsea showed character to recover, but questions remain over whether the ongoing uncertainty could continue to affect performances.
