Enzo Maresca continued to downplay Chelsea's title aspirations after they intensified the pressure on Ange Postecoglou by mounting a stunning comeback to defeat Tottenham 4-3 on Sunday. Maresca's burgeoning young squad faced an uphill battle after a disastrous start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Spurs eyeing a memorable victory following two early mistakes by Marc Cucurella within the first 11 minutes.

Chelsea demonstrated resilience and their turnaround was spearheaded by Cole Palmer, who netted two penalties as the momentum shifted in the second half. However, Maresca has consistently declined to discuss the title race this season and maintained his stance despite his team closing the gap to four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

"After the match, my message to the players is to remain focused on daily tasks, our training sessions, the upcoming game on Thursday, and then Sunday," Chelsea's head coach stated. "Our primary focus should be to enjoy a day off and then return to training well, preparing for the next game. The fans can dream because it's clear from the outside, but internally, we know we're not yet ready. The key is to improve day by day."

Maresca praised Chelsea's mental fortitude displayed at their arch-rivals' home ground. Jadon Sancho reduced the deficit with a superb goal just before halftime, and Enzo Fernández leveled the score with a fine strike. "To come to this stadium and think you're going to win without suffering is impossible," Maresca remarked. "This is the perfect victory because of that."

The defeat left Spurs in 11th place, having not won since their impressive victory over Manchester City last month. Their defensive performance was unconvincing, with Palmer's penalties resulting from foolish fouls by Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. Bissouma's challenge was on Moisés Caicedo, who could have been sent off in the first half.

"It's a painful loss," Postecoglou commented. "Both penalties were avoidable. It's self-inflicted. You're putting yourself in a difficult position. When I assess today's performance, I don't see a lack of confidence and belief. Both penalties we conceded were due to desperation. They're desperate to turn our season around. In that state, you lose composure and discipline."

Postecoglou, who believed Caicedo should have been shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Sarr at 2-1, stirred controversy by recalling Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven from injury. Spurs face selection challenges in defense, and the return of their first-choice center-back pairing did not last long. Romero exited with a thigh issue in the 15th minute, and Van de Ven left the field due to muscle tightness, but Postecoglou insisted he did not take undue risks with their fitness.

"People are aware of our situation," the Spurs manager explained. "It's not as if we have an abundance of options. Both players trained well. You make these decisions based on the best available information." Postecoglou also mentioned that Brennan Johnson was substituted due to feeling unwell. Maresca lost Roméo Lavia to a hamstring injury at halftime.

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