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Every word Enzo Maresca said on'cold'Cole Palmer, Tottenham win, Marc Cucurella slips

Enzo Maresca has just spoken to the media following Chelsea's dramatic 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday evening.

After going 2-0 down early on, the Blues fought back in style to earn all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Maresca was visibly delighted at full-time and we got the chance to speak to him not too long after the final whistle. Here is what he had to say...

**Is that your biggest win as Chelsea manager?**

"I don't know, to be honest. I'm not thinking about this. For sure, it is an important win. First of all, for the way \[Chelsea won\]. To come to this stadium against this team and then concede two goals, and continue with the same plan shows how the players in this moment are mentally strong.

"Personally, I don't consider this game as the biggest win. I've said many times, this team is going to win games against big teams and it is going to lose games against big teams because it is football. The only thing I focus on is how we can improve."

**What went wrong in the first 15 minutes?**

"Marc \[Cucurella\] said to me after the game that he tried to bring emotion into the game. It was probably too much. It probably was the perfect win for this motivation because we go two goals down, it was the worst picture even if we were in control.

"We conceded two goals because of Cucu and a couple of chances from where we wrong in the build-up. We create chances, we controlled the game, we keep the ball. Then at half-time, we changed something tactically and in the second-half, we deserved to win."

**How pleased are you with the mental toughness of your team?**

"Very happy. Since we started, we are trying to work in the way we want to play on and off the ball. Also, the togetherness. To come to this stadium and think you are not going to suffer, it's impossible. We were ready for that. It was probably too much to give away two goals in 15 minutes but it is the perfect win."

**Does Cole Palmer practice penalties?**

"Since we started, I have not seen Cole shooting penalties. In terms of the second penalty, he's cold. He's cold. The good thing about him tonight was Bissouma was marking him man-to-man, so he needs to learn how to play against a team that goes man-to-man with him, but he was fantastic.

"His pressing, his work off the ball. Nico, Cole and the two wingers."

**How is he so good at them if he doesn't practice?**

"Because Cole belongs to that kind of players. They are not normal players, they are top players. Top players do things that normal players, or us, cannot do that. It's because he's top. We can expect this from him."

**How is Romeo Lavia?**

"Unfortunately he felt something in his hamstring in the last minutes of the first-half. Now, he was working without pain. I don't like to lose players for five, six or seven games in a row. Even if Romeo was playing fantastic in the first-half but we changed because he had a problem."

**What was wrong with Cucurella's boots?**

"It can happen. Unfortunately it happened to the same player twice. But I think it happens many times in football that a player slips."

**Your celebrations with the fans felt big...**

"We work every day for these kind of moments, celebrating with the fans. For sure, tonight was a derby and the way we are in this moment, we are all happy. To share that moment is fantastic.

"We need our fans, home and away. I will tell them now in this moment that we need them against Brentford. It won't be an easy game so we need them to help and push us."

**Is Palmer the best player in the Premier League?**

"For us, for sure. But in the Premier League, there are top players, top talents. Cole belongs to those players.

"I had Cole with one year four years ago at Man City Under-23s, so I know Cole from then. The best thing about him, he was then in one way and now after two years, 20 goals, 25 goals last season, and considered one of the best - he is exactly the same guy.

"Loves football, humble, no strange things and this is the best thing for Cole. Today, young players, if they play one good game they already think... and then they lose the balance. Cole is always the same."

**How good has Jadon Sancho been in recent games?**

"Since we started, the reason why Jadon came here is because we think Jadon is going to help us. Unfortunately he had small problems so he was out for a while. Now he is back and the only thing he has to do is continue in the same way. He cannot drop, otherwise he is not going to play.

"His performance and Pedro Neto, on and off the ball was very good. Off the ball, they were running, following Udogie and defensively they were very good. This is what we need."

**What was the tactical tweak at half-time?**

"There was no problem, to be honest. I think the plan first-half was working well. We were attacking, in control of the game but conceded two goals. I was very happy.

"In the first-half, we had Cole Palmer on one side and Enzo Fernandez on the other side. In the second-half, we had Cole Palmer on one side and Cucurella on the other side. We changed something in behind. It was just for this reason. I think it worked well in the end and we won the game."

**Levi Colwill said you wouldn't have conceded those two goals if you were in the title race...**

"No, exactly. After the game, my message to the players was to be focused day by day, in our session, the next game on Thursday and then Sunday. The main focus has to be to enjoy the day off and when we come back, 100%, train well, go for the game. The fans can dream because from the outside, it is quite clear and inside, the reality is we are not ready but the important thing is we improve day by day."

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