Chelsea: Enzo Maresca explains decision to bring Jadon Sancho off at half-time in Liverpool defeat

Enzo Maresca has explained his decision to substitute Jadon Sancho at half-time against Liverpool.

Sancho was replaced by Pedro Neto as Chelsea lost 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.

“Tactical,” said Maresca, who said he was proud of the way his side played despite the defeat on Merseyside.

“We don’t like to lose, but if you have to choose the way then this is the way you like to drop points. To come here in this stadium, against this team, I really liked the performance.

“Probably we deserved something more. The performance was good. I think we controlled most of the game, we had chances, we had possession in their half. It doesn’t happen times that you see Liverpool in their [own half] for a long time.

“Overall, the team was breave on and off the ball and I think this is the right way.

Maresca said he felt “the noise of the crowd” influenced the officials, after Chelsea were on the wrong end of a few decisions at Anfield.

Liverpool were awarded two penalties, one of which was overturned by VAR following an on-field review.

“Sometimes in this stadium the decision is also for the noise of the crowd,” said Maresca. “The referees are there to make decisions, sometimes they are right and sometimes they are wrong. Sometimes you have the feeling from outside that some of the decisions are for the noise. But overall they were ok.”

One major plus for Chelsea was the return of Reece James after his injury lay-off.

James started his first Premier League in 10 months and played 53 minutes before he was taken off in a move that Maresca revealed was pre-planned.

“For him and Romeo [Lavia] it was 45 mins or one hour maximum but I was a bit afraid to give them more minutes so I decided to change both of them,” he said.