Chelsea are back in Premier League action against Aston Villa this Saturday and have already provided a possible hint as to who Enzo Maresca could call up for the trip.
Since the turn of the year the Blues have somewhat stuttered, falling to sixth in the Premier League standings with two wins in their last nine outings in the competition.
But it has to be recognised that the picture could be much bleaker after such a poor run of form. Maresca’s men remain only one point outside of the top four and are well-positioned against rivals chasing European qualification.
It is going to be a tight battle but one that is certainly far from over with 13 matches remaining in the season.
Travelling to Villa, one of the teams chasing Chelsea down, the manager confirmed six missing players at his Friday press conference.
“Fortunately, we don’t have any additional injuries,” said Maresca. Noni [Madueke] will probably be out until the international break. The rest: Nico [Jackson] out, Wes [Fofana] out, Benoit [Badiashile] out, Romeo [Lavia] out, Marc Guiu out.”
He also has to do without Mykhailo Mudryk as the Ukrainian’s suspension continues.
The gaps left over by these absences could mean an already youthful squad is backed up by a plethora of even younger talent, with evidence to suggest there are three who are in Maresca’s thoughts for the senior squad this weekend.
The Blues’ Under-21s took part in their regular Premier League 2 action on Friday night, playing counterparts from Manchester United at Kingsmeadow Stadium.
It has been common throughout the season for several of the team’s players to gain experience in first-team training taken by Maresca, then go back to Filipe Coelho’s side for regular match action.
But that was not the case with defenders Josh Acheampong and Aaron Anselmino, or winger Tyrique George. The trio were not selected, possibly hinting towards their involvement in the Premier League squad this Saturday.
Acheampong has made five senior appearances in his breakout season and sat on Maresca’s bench a further 11 times.
Recalled from his loan at Boca Juniors last month, Anselmino made his Under-21s debut vs Liverpool last weekend and has also been on the first-team bench for English top-flight and FA Cup matches.
And lastly George, who Maresca confirmed ahead of the weekend is ‘not ready 100 percent’ but recognised needs must when it comes to injuries. The 19-year-old also needs more opportunities to play at the highest level.
Others part of the Under-21s who have been in contention for the step up have been midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi – who has four Europa Conference League appearances to his name – and forward Shim Mhueka. However, both played on Friday night so are less likely to make the cut for Maresca less than 24 hours later.
Speaking to club media beforehand, Rak-Sakyi said: “It’s been positive for me. I’ve made my debut this season and it is one thing that I’ve been very proud of and my family as well.
“It’s been a good season so far and I just want to keep pushing on. Using them experiences to bring towards the team in the 21s. I feel like I can help the team out more and make more impact on the pitch.”
