Enzo Maresca banked his first win since becoming Chelsea ‘s new boss then admitted: “We nearly blew it.”

Christopher Nkunku’s penalty and substitute Noni Madueke’s rasping finish gave the Blues a two-goal cushion for next week’s Europa Conference League play-off second leg in Switzerland.
But the Blues survived a rocky last 10 minutes, when Servette squandered a hatful of chances, and Maresca said: “I was a little worried in the last 10 minutes.

We played with fire a little too much and we could have managed the game completely differently. It was good that we didn’t concede but we can learn.”

England winger Cole Palmer, who came off the bench after 57 minutes, finished the game grimacing and went straight down the tunnel holding his right hamstring.

But Maresca is hopeful it is not a serious injury, saying: “Cole felt something but he looks fine. Hopefully it is no problem and he can be available for Sunday’s game at Wolves.”

Chelsea were serenaded by a smattering of boos at half-time, and again when they worked the ball backwards in the second period, but Maresca insisted: “We are learning how to manage the game.

“Keeping the ball is the correct intention at 2-0 up but where it’s not good is in our half. We need to do the same on the opposite side. It was important to win the game with nine changes. There were many good things.”

Amid the breathless turnover of players coming and going – the latest new arrival, striker Joao Felix, was afforded a warm reception on the pitch before kick-off – Maresca wants to keep Madueke.

But he warned: “Noni is a player I like and he is doing well, but the thing he has to improve is consistency every day and then he will get minutes for sure.”