Chelsea backed to win big in FA Cup – even if Enzo Maresca rotates fully | OneFootball

Chelsea’s season rolls on, with a game against Morecambe in the FA Cup tomorrow to hopefully see a few goals scored and get back to winning ways after 4 games in a row where the Blues have really struggled.

No matter what team we play, we’ll be heavy favourites. Sports betting sites have the most likely scoreline as 3-0 to the Blues, and it could be a lot more if we end up taking out frustrations out on the League 2 strugglers.

There are a number of stars like Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku who could tear apart this sort of opposition as they look to show Enzo Maresca what they can do when given a chance. The Chelsea manager has played a fully rotated “B team” in his cup games so far, and while he may start altering that philosophy when we reach semis and finals, this should be an easy win for the backups while the first team get fresh for a Tuesday match in the Premier League.

Morecambe manager Derek Adams certainly isn’t predicting Maresca to change that habit now:

“I don’t think they [Chelsea] will field their strongest starting XI, I might be surprised. The last time, Chelsea put out the strongest team they could on the day; it depends on what the manager thinks,” the outspoken Adams said to the Lancashire Evening Post.

“Ironically, it’s my second time managing at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup third round and it’s [Maresca’s] first time! They have quality players throughout their team. Whoever they play on the day, they have undoubted quality.”

The “last time” he refers to was on this day 4 years ago, when the Blues in the dying embers of the Frank Lampard era put out their strongest team and won 4-0.

Things are very different now – Maresca isn’t fighting for his job, and he has immense quality in his squad who need minutes in these games. There is certainly the need for a morale boosting win ahead of a tricky test against Bournemouth on Tuesday night, but no need to give any of the players who are racking up dangerous numbers of minutes any time on the pitch.

Players like Reece James and Romeo Lavia could return from injury with at least a half tomorrow, and we expect some academy kids in the mix as well as first team squad players. It should be a very interesting game all round – but there’s no denying that the focus of most people will be the Premier League fixture which follows.