Second-half goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke secured victory at Stamford Bridge, but Servette carried a threat and on another night could well have found the net, notably in the closing stages. That passage of play came into the head coach’s thinking as he provided his verdict on the evening.

‘It was important to win the game, and have a clean sheet,’ said Maresca.

‘We did nine changes, we had players [who needed minutes] like Renato [Veiga], Axel [Disasi], Pedro [Neto], even Marc [Guiu], Filip [Jorgensen]. There were many good things.

‘At some moments I really liked the team, on and off the ball, especially at the beginning of the game. We were very aggressive and created some chances. We started the same way second half, aggressive on and off the ball. We played really well, but also there were some moments we can manage better, but that’s normal.

‘The last ten minutes we played a little bit with fire,’ added Maresca. ‘I was a bit worried. We could have managed the game in a different way. I expected it because we are in a moment of learning things.

‘In some moments the intention to keep the ball is the correct one, especially when you are 2-0 up, but where is not good. We tried to manage the ball in the last 10 or 15 minutes in our side of the pitch, we need to do exactly the same on the opposite side of the pitch. We didn’t concede, but from there we can learn.

‘All of them need more time to know better the system. Tonight was also not easy in terms of physical condition for some of them.’

Sub Cole Palmer looked in some discomfort when he came off the pitch at full-time…

‘Cole felt something but he looks fine. They already checked him, he looks okay, hopefully it’s not any problem and he can be available for Sunday’s game.’

Madueke came off the bench to score our second

‘I really like Noni. The only problem with Noni is he has to understand he has to be consistent during the week, every training, every training, every training, but he is a good player and he is doing well since he started with us. He is the kind of player I like.

‘We have so many games, and if not today it will be the next week. The only thing he has to improve is to be consistent every day, work hard, and then he will get minutes for sure.’

Maresca had words of support for Marc Guiu, who missed a good opportunity at 1-0 and spoke to the head coach when he was substituted

‘I said to him he probably doesn’t like easy goals, he likes difficult goals! For me it’s normal, he’s very young, 2006, the youngest in the squad. The way he works off the ball, he runs a lot, he presses, it doesn’t matter, he is going to score for sure.’