Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca could name a very strong XI for their Conference League quarter-final first leg away to Legia Warsaw on Thursday.

Maresca rested a number of first-team regulars in the 0-0 draw with Brentford on Sunday, drafting in the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo, despite most of their recent action coming in the cup competitions.

That means the Chelsea side that takes to the field on Thursday could look similar to the one that has been playing most weeks in the Premier League, and in particular, against Tottenham Hotspur last midweek.

Cole Palmer is set to be one of the returning players, but many questions were asked when Maresca opted to leave his talisman on the bench at the weekend, following 11 games without a goal.

Maresca was quick to point out that it was simply down to the hectic schedule Chelsea are facing, and nothing to do with his form, and that would be a fair assumption, given that Palmer was not the only player held in reserve at the Gtech.

Nicolas Jackson, Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Pedro Neto were also left on the bench on Sunday, with all four set to start alongside Palmer in Warsaw on Thursday, before potential rotation again in their home clash with Ipswich Town coming up in the Premier League.

Wesley Fofana will take no further part in any competition this season after he was ruled out long term recently, joining Romeo Lavia on the sidelines with injury.

Conference League specialist Marc Guiu could be back in the squad though, as he is closing in on a return after two months out injured, and only Armandas Kucys of Celje has scored more than the Spaniard's tally of six in the competition this season.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; James, Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Jackson, Neto

Written by
Andrew Delaney