NEW DELHI: The match between Chelsea and Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday ended in a goalless stalemate, with both teams creating decent opportunities to secure all three points.
Despite the lack of goals, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed greater satisfaction with his team's performance compared to their previous 2-1 victory over Brentford.
"That was a real game," Maresca said. "I am very happy because the performance of the boys was fantastic. Sometimes you have to play a different game and we are learning to play a different game. They (Everton) are one of the best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets."
"I said to the players I was more happy than (last week's) game at Brentford. We tried everything. For sure, you can always do something better but we are very happy because this is a tough stadium – not only for us but also in the Premier League," he added.
On the other hand, Everton manager Sean Dyche, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season, is auditioning to retain his position under the club's new owners, the Friedkin Group.
Despite the draw, Dyche's side has now kept five clean sheets in their last six games, although they remain precariously close to the relegation zone, albeit with a game in hand.
"I said before game Enzo Maresca has done a fine job and they have certainly shown the power they have got," Dyche said. "We could have nicked it. It was two teams going at it in the right way. You have to be willing to put a shift in and I think that was on show today. Chances were minimal. They had a couple and we had a couple towards the end. We take a point. I've never not been proud of these players. We've come through a storm. I respect them."
Overall, the match was a closely contested affair, with both managers expressing respect for their opponents and acknowledging the challenges faced in securing a positive result.
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