Enzo Maresca is staring at his squad list like it’s the aftermath of a wild party—half the guests have vanished, and the ones left standing are too tired to dance. Chelsea are without seven key players heading into their Premier League clash with Liverpool, and while the Blues faithful might be chewing their fingernails down to dust, the Italian head coach is forced into tactical origami with the pieces he has left.
Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Andrey Santos, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap—all out. Wesley Fofana? Concussion protocol. Trevoh Chalobah? Suspended. Basically, if you’ve worn blue this season, odds are you’re either in physio or grounded.
Enzo Maresca facing a high-stakes Liverpool test
Liverpool roll into Stamford Bridge like a heavyweight champ still nursing a black eye from Crystal Palace. For Chelsea, it’s been three league games without a win. Maresca’s problem isn’t motivation—it’s mathematics. How do you build a starting XI when half your options are watching from the treatment table?
Joao Pedro is expected back, though barely at 100%, while Santos is out until after the break. The Reds, to be fair, are no picture of health either—Alisson is sidelined, and Hugo Ekitike may or may not be hobbling around like he’s auditioning for Swan Lake.
Enzo Maresca and the art of adaptation
“Very difficult, very hard, very difficult,” Maresca muttered after beating Benfica. You almost expected him to add, “also quite tricky.” But credit where it’s due—he’s holding the line. According to sources, the Chelsea staff are cautiously optimistic about Joao Pedro’s availability, though there’s an unspoken fear of more injuries piling up like unread emails.
Author’s opinion: The Maresca method may work—just not quietly
Here’s the truth: I like Maresca’s stubborn optimism. He doesn’t whine, he recalculates. That attitude matters. Will it beat Liverpool’s high press? Maybe not. But this crisis might be the crucible that forges Chelsea’s season. If they escape with even a point, call it a win. And if not? Well, at least Sky Sports will get its money’s worth.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
