Enzo Maresca has some difficult decisions to make ahead of Chelsea’s highly anticipated clash against Liverpool this Sunday.
This is undoubtedly Maresca’s biggest test since finding his feet in the Premier League. It has only been made more difficult by the absence of several important starters.
Marc Cucurella has performed exceptionally well this season and has become one of Chelsea’s most important players. Unfortunately for Chelsea, he won’t be available for the game at Anfield after receiving his fifth yellow card this season against Nottingham Forrest.
The same goes for centre-back Wesley Fofana. Like Cucurella, he has started every Premier League game under Maresca.
The size of Chelsea’s squad has been a hot topic since the arrival of their many summer signings. This is a chance for a couple of Maracas so-called B team players to step up and take their opportunity in the Premier League.
Who Replaces Cucurella
Renato Veiga made his first and only Premier League start in their 1-0 away win against Bournemouth. He played in his more familiar central midfield role. However, Maresca has seen versatility in Veiga, utilising him mostly at left back.
Veiga was originally signed as a midfielder from FC Basel in the summer, but his most impressive performances have come at left-back. He played the role in both the UEFA Conference League and EFL Cup. The Portuguese scored his first goal for Chelsea in their 4-2 home win against Belgian side Gent.
Impressing in comfortable home wins against the likes of Gent and Barrow is one thing, showing it at Anfield up against Mohamed Salah is another. If Maresca decides to pick the 21-year-old, it will surely be the biggest challenge of his fledgling career.
Ben Chilwell is fit and available, but having not played a premier league game since mid-April, it’s unlikely he will start against the league leaders Liverpool.
Who Replaces Fofana
The obvious replacement for the suspended Wesley Fofana is Tosin Adarabioyo. The centre-back signed on a free transfer from Fulham in the summer and has made one Premier League start this season. That came in a 3-0 away win against West Ham. A game in which he passed with flying colours. He has also started at Centre-back in three of Chelsea’s four games outside the Premier League.
Adarabioyo is not Marasca’s only option. Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi are also available. Neither has started at centre-back in the Premier League this season. It would be a surprise if Maresca risked throwing them in at the deep end, especially in a game as important as this one.
Benoit Badiashile hasn’t made a single appearance in the Premier League this season but has started in every game outside of the Premier League at centre-back.
Axel Disasi has started one Premier League game this season. He was deployed as a right-back in the absence of Malo Gusto against Bournemouth. Disasi has also started in every game outside of the Premier League, but only once at centre-back, playing three times as a right-back.
Further Injury News
Both Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke went off injured against Nottingham Forest. However, they are reportedly fit and ready to start on Sunday.
Reece James made his long-awaited return to training this week and is in contention to be in the squad against Liverpool.
Chelsea’s Poor Recent Run Against Liverpool
It’s been nine games since Chelsea last won against Liverpool, including last season’s agonising EFL Cup final defeat. You have to go back to March of 2021 when a Blues side, led by the new England Manager Thomas Tuchel, beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield courtesy of a beautiful goal from Mason Mount.
Thanks to suspensions, the odds are stacked against Chelsea once more. However, with the likes of Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke in attack, they will be confident they can knock the league leaders off their perch.