Early Chelsea team news ahead of Barrow as Enzo Maresca confirms £30m star will start

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says he is looking forward to the League Cup match against Barrow tonight, as he plans to give minutes to some of the players who haven't had much playing time this season. One of the players he confirmed would start is £30 million summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

The 26-year-old has only played 42 minutes in the Premier League and has been limited to cameo appearances despite the significant fee spent on him.

Speaking ahead of the game, Maresca confirmed that Dewsbury-Hall would start but explained that his limited minutes so far are due to the time needed to adapt to a new club.

When asked if Dewsbury-Hall would start, Maresca said: “Yes. Probably, yes.” He went on to explain his lack of minutes: “I'm very happy with Kiernan. If we simply judge a team or a player by the way they play or whether they win, we miss the point. Kiernan was the main player at Leicester. He has come here and now he is not the main player—he is one of the players.

"For him, and for any player in the world, you need to adapt. When you go from being the main player to just one of the players, that adjustment takes time. I'm completely happy with Kiernan and the way he's handling it. Of course, coming on in the final 10 minutes, or even five, is not easy for him or any player, so we need to understand that situation. But I have no doubts about Kiernan.”

There is also a big return for Ben Chilwell, who was previously sidelined in an attempt to push him toward a summer exit. Maresca confirmed that Chilwell would be part of the squad, marking a remarkable turnaround for the English defender.

“Ben Chilwell will be in the squad for tomorrow’s game. He is training, and hopefully, we can give him some minutes,” Maresca said.

Barrow are currently top of the League Two table, but Chelsea are expected to carry their strong form into the game and secure easy progression.