Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca goes to embrace Jadon Sancho after beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca goes to embrace Jadon Sancho after beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has warned Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho that he won't be picked if his performance levels drop in the future.
Maresca's abrupt message to the United man came after the winger scored Chelsea's opener in an incredible 4-3 thriller against Tottenham Hotspur. Ange Postecoglou's side raced into a two-goal lead after just 11 minutes before Sancho pulled one back moments later.
After the interval, Chelsea pushed on and turned the game around thanks to a Cole Palmer penalty and an Enzo Fernandez strike. Palmer's second penalty of the match looked to have put the game to bed only for Son Heung-min to score late on to set up a tense last few moments.
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Victory for Chelsea inserted them firmly in the title race with the Blues sitting just four points behind leaders Liverpool who did not play this weekend due to Storm Darragh. In his post-match press conference, Maresca was asked about Sancho who doubled his tally on Sunday after scoring his first for the club at Southampton in midweek.
While the former Manchester City assistant is pleased with Sancho's efforts recently, he insisted that the winger's place is not guaranteed. "I said since the start that the reason why Jadon came here is because we think that Jadon is going to help us," Maresca explained.
"Unfortunately, he had some small problems, so he was out for a while. Now he’s back.
"The only thing he has to do is to continue in the same way. He cannot drop, otherwise he’s not going to play."
Sancho left United on loan in the summer and Chelsea have an obligation to buy the winger at the end of the season for £25m. The 24-year-old's time at Old Trafford ended under a cloud after a public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag.
Before he was sacked, Ten Hag and Sancho buried the hatchet but the decision was made that his future was better served away from United.
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