Enzo Maresca has all but confirmed Ben Chilwell will play his first minutes of the season this evening as Chelsea take on Barrow in the Carabao Cup.
The 27-year-old is yet to play under Maresca after being put up for sale in the summer transfer window. Chilwell was training away from the first-team while the window was opened but has recently returned to the main sessions at Chelsea’s base in Cobham.
With Barrow to come, Maresca – who has won four of his seven matches as Chelsea head coach in all competitions – is set to hand some of his first-team players a rest. Marc Cucurella has been in fine form over the last few months and is undoubtedly Maresca’s first-choice on the left-hand side of a back four.
Cucurella, though, is expected to be rested against Barrow, leaving a battle between Chilwell and Renato Veiga for the Spaniard’s role. “I think so,” Maresca said when asked if Chilwell will feature at Stamford Bridge. “Hopefully we can give him some minutes.”
“The idea for him was to leave,” the Chelsea head coach continued. “In the moment that he is here, he is one of the squad. He is training.
“He was not in the squad against West Ham. He will be in the squad tomorrow. Hopefully we can give him some minutes.”
Elsewhere, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is set to start against Barrow. The 26-year-old has started just twice for Chelsea since following Maresca from Leicester City to Stamford Bridge in the summer – and both came in the Conference League against Servette.
Dewsbury-Hall, however, is expected to be given a chance to showcase his talent this evening as Maresca explained his need to adapt after moving from the King Power Stadium. Speaking on Monday afternoon, Maresca said: “I’m very happy with Kiernan.
“If we simply judge a team, or player because of the way they play or they win, but we also need to understand that Kiernan was the main player at Leicester. He has arrived here and he is not the main player. He is one of the players.
“For him, for any player in the world, you need to adapt because you were the main player here and now one of the players. That period requires time that you understand and adapt.
