Enzo Maresca provided an update on Liam Delap ahead of Chelsea's clash against Wolves in the Carabao Cup fourth round. The Blues will be determined to return to winning ways when they take on Vitor Pereira's side at Molineux on Wednesday night.
Chemsdine Talbi fired Sunderland to victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, finding the net in the dying embers of stoppage time. Chelsea had won each of their previous four games before locking horns with the Black Cats, so they'll be keen to get back on track.
Speaking to reporters at Cobham on Tuesday morning, Maresca provided an update on Delap, who has recently returned to training. The Blues boss said: "He took part of a complete session yesterday and he is available for tomorrow. Ninety minutes, no, he's been out two months, so he needs to be gradually back to 100 per cent."
Delap suffered a hamstring injury during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Fulham back in September. Fortunately, the 22-year-old striker didn't require surgery, and he returned to first-team training at Cobham last week.
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On whether he could make wholesale changes to the starting lineup, Maresca noted his squad's injury crisis. The Italian added: "The reason why is we need to rotate, we need to protect players.
"If we go with the same XI, we will struggle through the season. We are probably going to make some changes, I don't know how many, but we will make changes. I don't know if it's going to be nine or 10 like with Forest and Ajax, but for sure we will need to make some."
Maresca suggested that Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo could be rested for the Wolves clash. Shortly after the trip to Molineux, Tottenham Hotspur will host Chelsea in north London.
Moises Caicedo for Chelsea
Moises Caicedo has been one of the standout performers for Chelsea this season.
The Chelsea boss said: "They are probably players that need to be protected. Probably tomorrow. We will see. Enzo, Moi and Joao, they are all different players for different reasons we need to protect them."
On going the distance in the Carabao Cup, Maresca said: "Three games from the final, we need to have the desire to play for that. We need to go game by game. The first one is Wolves tomorrow, and hopefully we can win the game and move on to the next one."
He added: "I think for Chelsea, all the competitions are important. Chelsea has to try and win games, try to win competitions. For me, personally, I think all of the competitions are important."
Enzo Maresca lifts the Club World Cup trophy
Enzo Maresca lifts the Club World Cup trophy (Image: Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Pedro Neto, who Chelsea signed from Wolves for £51.4m, plus £2.6m in add-ons in August 2024, will return to his old stomping ground on Wednesday night. When quizzed on the 25-year-old winger, Maresca said: "He is top.
"He's very humble, he works hard. He is a very important player for us. We are very happy with Pedro. He needs to always be 100 per cent, because the moment when you drop physically or mentally in this league, it is complicated."
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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