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Chelsea logo
FA Cup | Third Round
Jan 11, 2025 at 3pm UK
Stamford Bridge
Morecambe

Chelsea
vs.
Morecambe

Chelsea vs. Morecambe: Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Aaron Anselmino, Ben Chilwell availability revealed

James, Lavia, Anselmino, Chilwell: Maresca reveals who will face Morecambe in FA Cup
© Imago
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca reveals the availability of four players ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Morecambe.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has revealed whether Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Aaron Anselmino and Ben Chilwell will play against Morecambe in the FA Cup third round.

On the back of four matches without a victory in the Premier League, the Blues will be looking to get back to winning ways against the League Two outfit.

With an important top-flight fixture against Bournemouth to come on Tuesday, Maresca will rotate his starting lineup for the showdown at Stamford Bridge.

That theoretically left James, Lavia, Anselmino and Chilwell all to come into contention for a role against the Shrimps, yet Maresca has told reporters that only half of that quartet will be available.

Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia in August 2024.© Imago

James and Lavia to play

Speaking at a press conference, Maresca confirmed that both James and Lavia would be provided with minutes after their respective spells out through injury.

The Italian said: "They are both available and they can get some minutes for tomorrow's game."

Although James has been selected in the last two Premier League squads after recovering from his latest hamstring injury, the club captain has not played any football since November 10.

Meanwhile, Lavia has not been seen since he was withdrawn at half time against Tottenham Hotspur on December 8 with a muscle injury.

Chelsea's Ben Chilwell pictured on April 20, 2024© Imago

Anselmino, Chilwell to be left out

Anselmino has just been recalled from his loan stint at Boca Juniors with the view of eventually earning minutes later in the season or going on loan to a European club.

However, he is not ready to face Morecambe, Maresca saying: "It is still too early. The plan for him is to try to put him in condition to get some minutes in the future, not now.

"He had some injury when he was there. It's important for him to adapt a little bit, to English weather, English football, and then from there, we start to use him."

As for Chilwell, the left-back has not featured since a second-half outing against Barrow in the EFL Cup in September. Now awaiting a transfer elsewhere, Maresca has revealed that he will not risk him on Saturday.

Maresca added: "Chilwell, in this moment, is thinking he is probably going to leave. It is better to avoid using him, to avoid an injury in this situation."

Cesare Casadei is also not expected to feature with at least two Italian clubs bidding to sign the midfielder over the coming weeks.

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Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana in October 2024.
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