Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is ready for a ban after his latest yellow card in the course of the draw at Newcastle on Saturday.
The Blues bounced from two goals behind to attract 2-2 at St James’ Park in an entertaining lunchtime contest.
The Magpies were dominant in the primary half, with two Nick Woltemade goals giving them a deserved lead.
The second period was very different, though, with Chelsea much improved and scoring twice through Reece James and Joao Pedro.
Each side had possibilities to win in a pulsating second stanza however the spoils were ultimately shared.
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It was a feisty contest with six Chelsea players shown yellow cards and three bookings on the Newcastle side.
Blues boss Maresca was also shown a yellow card and that can now see the Italian banned from the touchline when his side is next in motion on Saturday, at home against Aston Villa.
The Day by day Mail report that the suspension comes after a 3rd yellow card, following bookings against Manchester United and Burnley.
Maresca was booked twice and sent off against Liverpool earlier within the season, receiving a one-game ban in consequence, but those yellow cards are treated individually.
Explaining why he was booked against the Magpies on Saturday, Maresca told a post-match press conference: ‘I used to be complaining because the identical foul was a yellow card for us they usually did the exact same foul three or 4 times however it was no yellow card, so I asked the query and complained to the referee.’
Maresca picked out James for praise after a powerful performance each going forward and defensively.
‘He was, once more, top performance,’ Maresca said of the England international.
‘He played for an hour as a midfielder and for the last half an hour, he was as a full-back. We’re pleased for him.’
On the sport, he added: ‘After the first-half, they deserved to win the sport, of course, but after the second-half, we deserved to win the sport. After the second goal was scored, we had three or 4 possibilities to win it.
‘The important thing for me was the goal we conceded. After three minutes, you concede a goal and the sport goes within the direction they need. We scored twice within the second-half and will have scored more goals. We adjusted something at half-time. It’s challenging to come back back on this stadium.’
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