Chelsea will face Newcastle United or AFC Wimbledon in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The Blues recently beat the League 2 table toppers in the round of 16 matches of the EFL Cup. They registered a dominant victory over Barrow as they thrashed the club with a scoreline of 5-0.
Maresca’s men easily eased through the round of 16 ties as they were able to exploit their opponent’s weaknesses. The Blues were already 3 goals in the first half an hour of the game. The fourth goal was scared just before the half and the fifth early in the second half.
The top scorer for the club was Christopher Nkunku who managed to score a brilliant hattrick. There were initial doubts about having the French as a starter but his performance has faded those doubts.
Individual performance also shined in the game as an outstanding free kick from Joao Felix resulted in a goal. New signings like Jadon Sancho were instrumental in registering this dominant win. A new addition, 17-year-old Pedro Neto also scored his first goal for the club at the start of the second half.
Chelsea have cruised through the match against Barrow however things may not be as easy in the next games. The draw of the fourth round has come in and it looks like Chelsea will play an away game against AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle United.
This match however has been delayed to October 1. The reason for the delay is an unfortunate flooding at Plough Lane where the match is scheduled.
Can AFC Wimbledon give a scare to Chelsea again?
The Blues face the League team AFC Wimbledon in their opener of the EFL Cup.
This match was very competitive in which the Blues managed to come out on top. The team had to come from a goal behind at the Stamford Bridge. The visitors started their game strong when they scored in the 18th minute.
A penalty was awarded to Chelsea just before halftime. Noni Madueke expertly converted the penalty to bring the score to 1-1. Even after drawing the game, Wimbledon did not sit back. The whole defensive setup of the Blues was working hard to stop their opponent’s counterattack.
The second goal was scored by the Argentinian Enzo Martinez in the 72nd minute. A poor clearance from Wimbledon’s keeper allowed Fernandes to bury the ball into the net. It was thanks to Enzo and Madueke that Chelsea were able to win their opener in the Carabao Cup.
Ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino was disappointed with his team’s performance according to BBC. When the visitors scored first he was fuming on the touchline. Mauricio went down towards the tunnel a few minutes before the halftime interval.
The English would not like to repeat the same situation as the previous season. There is a change of management this year with Enzo Maresca. With the Italian leading the charge it would be interesting to see how things turn out.
Newcastle will be a strong opponent for the Blues
Chelsea have cruised through their EFL Cup campaign for now. the challenges ahead will only be tougher for Enzo Maresca’s men.
The draw of the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is out on Wednesday. The draw has set an away game for the Blues against Newcastle United or AFC Wimbledon. Where Wimbledon might be an easy challenge for Chelsea, Newcastle might carry a threat.
Chelsea were able to beat Newcastle in their previous face-off in the Premier League. The Blues beat them 3-0 at Stamford Stadium. One player that stood out from the squad was Cole Palmer who scored a brace for the team.
This victory was however of no result as the Premier League was far out of reach for the club. Chelsea finished 6th on the Premier League table in the 2023-2024 season. The club had a hard time winning their games. There was also brewing tension between ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino and the directors of the club.
Newcastle has recently lost their Premier League match against Fulham. In the Carabao Cup, they will want to win over Chelsea this season. Enzo Maresca has led his team with a good form this season. The manager will hope that his team will look to continue their winning streak.
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