Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca criticized Liam Delap for his “selfish” behavior following a “stupid” and “embarrassing” red card during the Carabao Cup match against Wolves.
Delap was sent off during the thrilling 4-3 victory at Molineux, receiving two yellow cards in just seven minutes after coming on as a substitute, marking his first match since August.
His initial booking came from wrestling Yerson Mosquera to the ground, and the second was for a reckless aerial challenge against Emmanuel Agbadou.
– Carabao Cup quarterfinal draw
This incident marked Chelsea’s sixth red card in nine matches this season, leaving Maresca frustrated with the forward, who will be unavailable for the weekend’s match against Tottenham.
“Today’s red card was unnecessary and absolutely foolish; it was a foul we could have avoided,” Maresca lamented.
“I can understand red cards in challenging situations like those against Brighton and Manchester United, but the red card against Nottingham and today’s can both be prevented, and we need to work on that.”
“It’s embarrassing when a player receives a red card like that. Two yellows in just seven minutes? Both were avoidable.”
“After the first yellow card, I reminded him multiple times to stay calm. However, he seems to play for himself on the pitch and struggles to listen to what’s happening around him.”
The red card somewhat overshadowed an exciting encounter, where Chelsea resisted a strong second-half comeback from Wolves.
Chelsea had established a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime with goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, and Estêvão, intensifying Wolves’ struggles this season.
However, the second half turned the tide, with Tolu Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe threatening Chelsea’s lead before Jamie Gittens scored in the 90th minute, seemingly securing victory.
Wolfe quickly responded with his second goal, keeping Wolves hopeful, but they ultimately fell short of equalizing as Chelsea advanced to the quarterfinals.
Wolves manager Vitor Pereira had been in a heated exchange with fans after Saturday’s Premier League loss to Burnley, but his team received applause as they left the field.
Pereira, still under scrutiny amid chants for his dismissal, expressed optimism about the second-half performance as a potential turning point for Wolves.
“We demonstrated to ourselves and our supporters that we can rise again,” Pereira stated. “We just need one victory to restore our belief and keep moving forward. That spirit was evident in the second half.”
“This season, we are battling relentlessly. It’s crucial to analyze what worked in the second half and use it to our advantage.”
“We can compete with Chelsea and every team if we maintain this level of performance—fueled by our supporters’ energy.”
“We may be a smaller club, but we can achieve great things together.”