Enzo Maresca accepted the red card shown to Moises Caicedo.placeholder image
Enzo Maresca accepted the red card shown to Moises Caicedo. | AFP via Getty Images
Ezno Maresca is handed the rare challenge of preparing his Chelsea side without Moises Caicedo against Leeds United.
The Blues put in a gutsy performance against the Gunners with 10 men on the field for more than half of the match. Enzo Maresca’s side are third in the league and six points off top spot.
Meanwhile, Whites boss Daniel Farke is under increasing pressure at Elland Road with his side now in the relegation zone. Here’s your Leeds United v Chelsea team news.
Leeds United team news
Leeds United were forced to withdraw defender James Justin after 69 minutes against Manchester City on Saturday. The 27-year-old had only been handed his first league start of the season.
Speaking after the defeat, Daniel Farke played down the severity of that problem. He said: “Okay, obviously it was his first time in the starting line-up in a while. It was always the plan around 60 minutes to get him off. He was struggling with a little hit, so no injury concerns. All okay.”
Daniel James made his first starting XI since August against Manchester City but picked up another issue. Farke said that the midfielder ‘could be out for a while’ and that the problem ‘did not look too good’.
Anton Stach missed out against Manchester City due to a concussion sustained against Aston Villa. The midfielder could return against Chelsea but will need to pass the ‘exceptional’ concussion criteria as stipulated by the FA.
Sean Longstaff will be out for at least a month with a calf injury but Sebastiaan Bornauw could be fit enough to make his Premier League debut.
Doubts - James Justin, Anton Stach, Sebastiaan Bornauw. Outs - Sean Longstaff, Daniel James.
Chelsea team news
Chelsea will be without the services of midfield linchpin Moises Caicedo against Leeds United as the midfielder serves the first game of his suspension following a red card against Arsenal.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Enzo Maresca said: "We are a better team with Moises, but when he is not available we have to find a solution, we have to do something different."
The Chelsea manager confirmed that Cole Palmer is available again but is unlikely to play 90 minutes. The Blues remain without long term absentee Levi Colwill due to an ACL problem.
Caicedo’s suspension isn’t helped by the absence of Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia. Maresca said: “Romeo is still trying to recover. Dario, he was okay and started some sessions with us. Now he needs to slow down a little bit so he will be out again, hopefully nothing important. The rest are all fine.”
Outs - Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Levi Colwill.
In other news, Enzo Maresca hints that 'phenomenal' Chelsea star could be rested against Leeds after 9/10 Arsenal display.
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