Chelsea faces a unique situation ahead of their Carabao Cup clash with Newcastle, as manager Enzo Maresca has a fully fit squad—a rarity for the Blues in recent seasons. Yet, he is expected to make significant lineup changes, prioritizing his ‘B’ team for the midweek fixture, similar to his strategy throughout the season. Unlike his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino, Maresca isn’t hampered by injuries when selecting his squad.
Reece James, who recently returned from a preseason hamstring injury, has now played back-to-back Premier League games. Wesley Fofana was briefly a concern in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday after a knock to his knee but finished the match unscathed. Meanwhile, Romeo Lavia has also returned to form after a month-long absence, and Maresca is carefully managing the trio’s game time, with plans to rest them midweek despite their full fitness.
Chelsea’s rotation strategy will see the second team take on Newcastle, although this match will pose a more challenging test than the teams Chelsea has encountered in the Conference League. Maresca may bring in high-profile players from the bench if the game requires it.
Chelsea’s youth development approach has seen academy players like Tyrique George, Shamuira Mheuka, and Sam Rak-Sakyi get valuable game time in recent competitions. However, promising defender Josh Acheampong will be sidelined amid a contract dispute, sparking controversy. Maresca hopes the situation is resolved soon, as Acheampong is highly regarded within the club.
The squad flexibility allows Maresca to rest key players and make wholesale changes as Chelsea continues balancing domestic and European commitments. The potential squad includes Jorgensen, Sanchez, Disasi, Badiashile, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Cucurella, Veiga, Casadei, Fernandez, Dewsbury-Hall, Chukwuemeka, Caicedo, Nkunku, Mudryk, Felix, Sancho, Jackson, Neto, and Palmer. James, Fofana, and Lavia will sit out to manage their load, while Acheampong remains unavailable due to the contract impasse.
