Enzo Maresca addresses Jason Tindall handshake snub after Newcastle United incident v Chelsea

The match was crucial in the battle for Champions League qualification as Newcastle moved up to third thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

Chelsea remained fifth in the table with only goal difference keeping them inside the Champions League places. The Blues will also be without Nicolas Jackson for the remainder of the season after he was shown a straight red card after hitting Sven Botman in the head with his arm.

Tempers flared on a few occasions during the match with referee John Brooks showing six yellow cards in addition to the red for Jackson.

Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella and Newcastle assistant manager Jason Tindall clashed on the touchline during the second half of the match. The game marked Tindall’s return from a one-match suspension after missing Brighton & Hove Albion due to accumulating three yellow cards in the Premier League this season.

Tindall and Cucurella both escaped a booking. But at full-time, Chelsea boss Maresca refrained from shaking Tindall’s hand - prompting a question in his post-match press conference.

Enzo Maresca addresses Jason Tindall handshake snub after NUFC 2-0 Chelsea

Maresca claimed he couldn’t answer why Tindall and Cucurella clashed in the second half, stating: “I don’t know, this is a question for Marc.”

But when asked why he didn’t shake Tindall’s hand, the Italian felt that shaking the hand of Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was sufficient.

“I shake Eddie Howe’s hand,” Maresca said. “But I think this is enough.”

Enzo Maresca makes St James’ Park claim after Newcastle United win

The Chelsea head coach had no real complaints about Jackson’s red card though did feel as though the St James’ Park crowd influenced some decisions made by the referee during the match.

“For sure the red card affected the game,” Maresca said. “Against this team, in this stadium, it's already complicated and if you give them one extra player it's difficult but overall I think, especially in the second half, we created big chances even with ten players when it's not easy.

“If the referee decides a red card it's a red card but in some different decisions in this stadium sometimes it's the noise decides if it's a foul or not.

“I didn't speak to Nico, it's not the moment. In the next day we'll speak with Nico.

“The season for him is finished, he's our nine, he's our striker. We will need to find a different solution for the last two games.

“No doubt, 100% he has to learn, especially at this stage of this season where we have two more games. What we have to avoid is these kind of things because you need all of your squad available for the next game.

“It happened, he will be out for the season and he needs to learn for the future.”

Chelsea face Manchester United next weekend before ending the season away to Nottingham Forest.

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