Maresca insists Chelsea need to figure out why they repeatedly lose leads

Enzo Maresca is unable to pinpoint the reason behind Chelsea's frequent loss of leads in the Premier League, yet he recognises that addressing this issue is essential for their pursuit of a top-four position.

Saturdays 2-1 loss to Aston Villa marked the third occasion this season that the Blues have suffered defeat at Stamford Bridge despite holding an advantage.

Ollie Watkins netted twice in the closing 30 minutes, leaving Marescas side to rue multiple missed opportunities following Joao Pedros opening half goal.

In September, Brighton mounted a comparable recovery with three goals in the latter stages to secure a 3-1 victory after Trevoh Chalobah received a red card. The next month, Sunderland found the net late in added time to overturn the deficit in a 2-1 triumph.

The 1-1 stalemate against Arsenal in November, where Chelsea took the lead despite being down to 10 players before allowing a leveller, heightened their irritation. The squad has relinquished 11 points from leading spots at home this term.

This tally of forfeited points separates Chelsea, currently fifth in the standings, from Manchester City in second place.

"It boils down to grasping the underlying cause," remarked Chelsea boss Maresca, with his outfit set to entertain bottom-tier Bournemouth in west London on Tuesday. "When a pattern keeps emerging, it is not mere chance.

"We must identify the why. Regardless of whether we are ahead, level or trailing, conceding a goal tends to erode our command somewhat."

Reflecting on the Villa encounter, Italian coach Maresca noted: "For the initial hour, there are numerous positives to draw. Few sides generate so many openings against Villa. In the first half, their xG expected goals was nil, they produced nothing.

"I reviewed the Arsenal match where Villa prevailed 2-1 at home and their other victories, and they consistently fashion chances.

"The result hardly mirrors the 10-point gap between us and Aston Villa, to be fair."

Chelseas tendency to forfeit points proves especially frustrating for the west London faithful, given their teams 3-0 Champions League thrashing of Spanish powerhouse Barcelona and victory over Premier League title holders Liverpool.

These breakdowns have tempered discussions of a title push, with Chelsea trailing leaders and London foes Arsenal by 13 points.

"We have to learn how to handle things more effectively after shipping goals," Maresca added.