Chelsea suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat on Monday night, losing 2-0 to Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
The latest setback comes on the heels of a shocking loss to Fulham just days earlier, compounding the pressure on Enzo Maresca’s side to rediscover their form.
The match began with an early blow for the Blues when Liam Delap earned and converted a penalty after 12 minutes.
The decision came after Filip Jorgensen, restored to the starting lineup, was judged to have brought down the striker, although the Chelsea goalkeeper protested the call.
Delap made no mistake from the spot, coolly sending Jorgensen the wrong way to give the home side the lead.
Just moments later, the Ipswich forward nearly struck again with a thunderous effort that required a sharp save from Jorgensen to keep Chelsea in the contest.
Chelsea responded well and created several chances as the first half progressed. Cole Palmer came closest to leveling the score, hitting the inside of the post with a well-taken free-kick.
Joao Felix thought he had found the equalizer when he smashed in Palmer’s cross, but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Christopher Nkunku also threatened, but Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton proved difficult to beat, making an outstanding save from a Palmer curling strike just before halftime to preserve his team’s advantage.
Maresca’s men started the second half on the front foot, pushing hard for an equalizer. Joao Felix had a header cleared off the line, and Noni Madueke forced Walton into another crucial save.
However, despite Chelsea’s dominance, it was Ipswich who struck next. A misplaced pass from Axel Disasi allowed Delap to set up Omari Hutchinson, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to double the Tractor Boys’ lead.
In response, Maresca introduced Nicolas Jackson and later Jadon Sancho in an attempt to ignite a comeback. Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure, with Jackson, Palmer, and Pedro Neto all trying their luck.
Walton, however, remained unbeatable, making save after save to frustrate the visitors. Ipswich, meanwhile, continued to pose a threat on the counterattack, with Delap forcing another fine stop from Jorgensen late on.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought victory for Ipswich, who moved closer to safety, now just a point behind Wolves in 17th place.
For Chelsea, the result leaves them clinging to fourth position, a point behind Arsenal and two adrift of Nottingham Forest.
The Blues will look to bounce back when they travel to face Crystal Palace on Saturday, a match that will now carry even greater significance as Maresca seeks to halt their troubling run of form.
