Enzo Maresca responds as Premier League release statement on controversial Ipswich penalty | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has refused to criticise the decision to award Ipswich Town a controversial penalty in Chelsea's 2-0 defeat on Monday.

The first half saw the excellent Liam Delap fall to ground after a collision with stand-in goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who appeared to pull out of the challenge and was left stunned when the VAR declined to overule the original on-field decision.

"The referee's call of penalty for a foul by Jorgensen on Delap was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed there was sufficient contact for a penalty," a Premier League statement read.

Maresca revealed the Chelsea players were unimpressed but urged his squad to move on quickly.

"They [the players] said it's a bit soft but we have to accept it's a penalty," Maresca told his post-match press conference.

Delap went down under pressure from Jorgensen / Michael Regan/GettyImages

Delap, who dusted himself off to net a perfect low effort in what was an overall sensational showing, insisted he felt enough contact to go to ground.

"I don't know what clipped me but something did," he said. "I just tried to get there before [Jorgensen] and he was coming out fast so I knew he'd touch me if I didn't get it round him.

"We've had three or four opportunities where we've not had the penalty we probably deserved so nice to get that one and put it in the back of the net. I've practiced them a million times so just aimed for the corner and put it there."