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Enzo Maresca reveals the three Chelsea players who now 'deserve' to start in the Premier League

jamie dickenson
·2-min read
Enzo Maresca reveals the three Chelsea players who now 'deserve' to start in the Premier League

Enzo Maresca has revealed three Chelsea players deserve to start after their performances against Barrow.

Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Joao Felix all impressed from the off during the 5-0 thrashing of the League Two side in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

And Maresca has admitted the trio deserve to start in the Premier League ahead of the visit of Brighton on Saturday.

“I’m happy,” he said. “Happy for Pedro, happy for Christo and for Joao, for all of them,

“They all deserve to play from the start in the Premier League but they are not playing in this moment. But the way they take the chances when we give them minutes is fantastic.

“No matter if it’s five minutes, 45 minutes or 90 minutes, they are all ready and this is the most important thing.”

Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix both impressed for Chelsea against Barrow (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix both impressed for Chelsea against Barrow (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Nkunku - who missed almost all of last season through injury following his £52million move from RB Leipzig - started Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City alongside Nicolas Jackson but has since been replaced by the striker.

Neto joined for £54m from Wolves this summer and has made two starts in the Premier League but was dropped for Jadon Sancho for the 3-0 win at West Ham.

Felix arrived in a permanent £45m deal last month but has yet to make a start in the league.

Nkunku’s hat-trick against Barrow brings his tally for the season to six, while Neto scored his first in Chelsea colours.

But Maresca admits with Jackson, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Sancho also in his squad he cannot play them all.

“That could happen,” he replied when asked if Nkunku could play with Jackson - who has four goals to his name.

“But the problem is the defensive balance.

“We can think to place with Nicolas, Christo, Joao, Cole Palmer, Noni, fantastic! But then who is defending? Me and you?

“I would like to put all of them in because I really like football and I really like to keep the ball but the problem is when you lose the ball and then you have to defend. Not all of them can defend at the same level.”