Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca doesn’t hold back when sharing his reaction and the Italian coach was no different after their shock defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.

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After their midweek defeat at Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, this was a big test of character for this young Chelsea side as everyone expected them to batter Man United.

But it didn’t work out like that early on as Robert Sanchez was sent off, Maresca had to make multiple subs ealry and although they rallied late on Chelsea suffered defeat in the Premier League for the first time this season.

Here’s the latest reaction from Enzo Maresca and what he thought about Chelsea’s trip to Manchester United.

Enzo Maresca reaction

“The red card changed the game after three minutes,” Maresca told BBC Sport. “After the red card for them, 10 v 10, it changed the game for us. We needed to start in a better way. It’s a red card. [We should have had] a penalty for Joao.”

Asked about his subs: “They attack with five players so the idea was to defend with five players. You can defend with four at 11 v 11. The game probably changed after they conceded the red card also with Casemiro. We were much better.

On Cole Palmer injury: “Cole this morning did a test to play this game. He was not 100%. It was a fantastic effort for the club, for his team-mates, for the team. Unfortunately he was not 100%.

On Chelsea’s display: “We need to start the game better. We cannot concede a red card at Old Trafford after three minutes.”

Maresca to Sky Sports on the game: “Very difficult because after three or four minutes with the red card, it completely changed the game. All the plan is in the bin. So it was very complicated.

Thoughts on the red card: “Nothing. It’s a situation that we can avoid because we knew these kind of long balls for Sesko, they try to flick for Mbeumo. We knew that. Unfortunately we conceded that moment. When you are one player down, it becomes completely difficult and changed the game.

On quick substitutions: “They are used to attacking with five players, so in that moment we have to defend with five players. We can defend absolutely with four when we are 11 vs 11, but when we are one player down, the idea was to defend with five.

“We decided to change with Estevao and Pedro Neto and the after we changed Cole because he made an effort to play this game because he was not 100 per cent fit. This morning he had a test and he was OK but not 100 per cent fit. So we decided to change him after 20 minutes.

On United’s first goal: “I just reviewed the goal from the television. It looks offside. But if they decide no, perhaps they are sure it is offside. For sure, that goal is part of the game. What is not part of the game is the red card, which changed the game completely.

“We conceded two goals that we need to avoid. But especially the red card, after three minutes, away at Old Trafford, it becomes difficult for any team. When they had the red card, 10 vs 10, we controlled the game, created chances and scored. But it was a different game, 10 vs 10.”

Maresca reflects on ‘difficult’ loss to Man United

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca assesses his side’s performance in a chaotic 2-1 loss to Manchester United that saw both clubs go a man down on a rain-soaked night at Old Trafford.

Trevoh Chalobah reaction

“We have to look at ourselves as players. It wasn’t good enough for ourselves, for the club. The first 15 minutes is the worst we’ve played this season. We have to reflect on that as a team and learn from this,” Chalobah told Sky Sports:

“With the red card that happens, you go 2-0 down in the game, any team you play against, it’s always difficult coming back. We struggled in the first half.

“It’s always difficult going down to 10 men and you can see that United were up for it. They put us under pressure. It wasn’t good enough at our end. We couldn’t get going in the first half.

“Things like this happen in the season. We can’t say we’re kids anymore, we’ve played in the Premier League long enough now. We have just got to learn from this and move forward.

“We were lucky with them getting a red card which made it a bit easier in the second half. We still had a few chances we could have taken but whether it’s ten men vs ten men, it’s always difficult from 2-0 down. We pushed and pushed, but it’s about how your start a game. That’s the most important thing in the football match, how you impose yourself.

“That’s something we have to reflect over the last two games, and Brentford as well – not staring the greatest. It’s making sure the first 15 to 20 minutes we’re imposing ourselves in the game. We need to raise it as a collective.”