Enzo Maresca has given strong indications of his starting lineup against Newcastle through his recent player choices against Panathinaikos. His selections hint at key strategies and roles, potentially revealing his tactical plan.
The Chelsea head coach seemed to provide insights for the upcoming Newcastle match by his lineup in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League. With Joao Felix scoring twice, Christopher Nkunku netting a penalty, and Mykhailo Mudryk adding a header, the Blues maintained their flawless record in the tournament.
Maresca utilized his ‘second string’ lineup for this European fixture, a common approach for cup games, while he reserves his top players for league matches. However, his choices may hint at Sunday’s lineup for Newcastle.
Lavia and Gusto in Line to Start
Romeo Lavia may be set to start over Enzo Fernandez against Newcastle, as Fernandez started last night, while Lavia featured against Liverpool. Similarly, Malo Gusto, who didn’t travel to Greece, may be favored at left-back after Marc Cucurella played the full match midweek. This likely suggests Gusto will start again.
The rest of the starting lineup seems predictable based on recent selections:
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto; Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer; Sancho, Madueke, Jackson.
While there were calls for Pedro Neto to start, his inclusion in the Panathinaikos game likely indicates he’ll begin on the bench Sunday.
