Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca Drops Major Lineup Hints for Newcastle Clash Through Panathinaikos Lineup
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca may have unintentionally revealed his starting XI for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle after his lineup choices in the 4-1 win against Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League. The Blues extended their flawless run in the competition with an impressive away performanc
Joao Felix stole the spotlight with a brace, while Christopher Nkunku netted a penalty, and Mykhailo Mudryk added a well-taken header, capping off a strong showing.
Known for utilizing his “second-string XI” in cup games and reserving his “best XI” for the Premier League, Maresca’s recent lineup offers a sneak peek into who may take the field against Newcastle.
One key indicator? Enzo Fernandez, benched against Liverpool in favor of Romeo Lavia, started last night’s match. This hints that Lavia might retain his starting spot over Fernandez on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Malo Gusto didn’t even travel to Greece—yet not due to injury—while Marc Cucurella played a full 90 minutes. Last Sunday, it was Gusto who took the left-back role against Liverpool, so it seems likely he’ll start there again over Cucurella this weekend.
Based on Maresca’s other choices against Panathinaikos, a probable lineup for Newcastle could be:
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto; Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer; Sancho, Madueke, Jackson.
Although some fans are calling for Pedro Neto to start, his appearance last night suggests he may only be on the bench come Sunday.
