Chelseavs.Shamrock

The back four has been largely settled in this competition, with Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo and Renato Veiga often being given much-needed minutes, but injury and suspensions mean that is likely to be shaken up quite significantly here.

Wesley Fofana's recent setback had seen Badiashile move in the first team, but he is now missing with an unknown injury himself, meaning Tosin started in the Premier League win over Brentford.

Marc Cucurella's red card after the final whistle on Sunday means he will be suspended for the clash against Everton at the weekend, so Veiga may be kept in reserve for that game, seeing the Spaniard start here instead.

To cover in the centre, Maresca will have been glad to see how competently Josh Acheampong performed away to Astana last week, but with Tosin and Levi Colwill set to be left out, Disasi should move into the centre, leaving a spot open for a youngster to come in at right-back.

In attack, Chelsea and winger Mykhaylo Mudryk were stunned to discover that he had failed a drugs test after returning from international duty with Ukraine last month.

Mudryk has missed the last four games for Chelsea, with the reasons stating he was ill, but these revelations now confirm the real reason behind that absence, and the Ukrainian is set to be handed a lengthy ban.

That means Tyrique George could keep his place in the European XI after starting in Kazakhstan on the wing, but Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku should return.

A brace for Marc Guiu against Astana should also see him rewarded with another start, but Maresca may keep Pedro Neto in reserve because he will be available domestically again after serving a one-match ban versus Brentford.

Cesare Casadei is back from suspension in Europe after his red card against Heidenheim, and is likely to partner Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who was excellent in Almaty, but still cannot break into the first team given the form of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Reece James remains out with another hamstring problem, while Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Caicedo and Colwill are not in the Conference League squad.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Jorgensen; Vale, Disasi, Acheampong, Cucurella; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; George, Nkunku, Joao Felix; Marc Guiu

Written by

Andrew Delaney