Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has inadvertently dropped some big starting Xl hints for Newcastle on Sunday with his Panathinaikos selections.
The Blues beat the Greek Pro League side 4-1 away from home in the Europa Conference League last night, keeping their winning start in the league stages going.
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Joao Felix bagged two goals on the night, Christopher Nkunku got a penalty, and Mykhailo Mudryk got a neat little header at the back post after playing very well all game.
Maresca used his ‘second string Xl’ for this game, as he does for cup games. In league games, he goes with his ‘best Xl’. But in the game last night, he has given us some huge clues on who will start against Newcastle on Sunday.
Lavia and Gusto to start
Enzo Fernandez didn’t start against Liverpool in the league last Sunday, being dropped for Romeo Lavia. But Enzo did start last night. This to me suggests it will be Lavia starting over Enzo against Newcastle as well.
Malo Gusto didn’t even travel to Greece this week but not because he is injured. Marc Cucurella started and played the whole game last night, but against Liverpool on Sunday, it was Gusto who got the nod at left back, and as Cucurella played last night, this tells me it will be Gusto starting at left back again against Newcastle.
And then the rest of the starting Xl will be pretty obvious to me judging by the rest of the players who started last night.
I think it will be this:
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto; Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer; Sancho, Madueke, Jackson.
There was calls that Pedro Neto should start and has earned a start, but he also started last night, suggesting he will only get a starting bench place on Sunday against Newcastle.
