Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has admitted his side's disciplinary record must improve but insists he will not punish players for receiving red cards. The Blues were reduced to ten men for the fourth time this season when Malo Gusto picked up a needless second yellow card late in Saturday's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Maresca acknowledged that Gusto's dismissal was avoidable, saying: 'It's something that we can do better. The last one is completely avoidable, because it's 0-3, the game is finished. For sure there is something that we have to improve.' Chelsea are bottom of the Premier League's fair play table with 28 yellow cards in all competitions.
The Italian, who served a touchline ban at Forest after being sent off against Liverpool, stressed he prefers to educate rather than punish. 'I'm not that kind of manager to punish players. I prefer to help them to understand, and then do the right things,' he said. He compared his approach to parenting, adding: 'I have four kids and when they do something wrong, I don't punish them. I try to teach them to do the right things.'
Maresca hopes Enzo Fernández will be available for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Ajax after missing the Forest game with a knee injury. Liam Delap is close to returning from a hamstring problem, but both he and the suspended João Pedro are out, meaning Marc Guiu could lead the line.
