Enzo Maresca's brilliant decision hands Chelsea boost ahead of Aston Villa and solves key injury issue

Chelsea will return to Premier League action this weekend, looking to end the month on a high after going the entire month of November unbeaten. They face an Aston Villa side that is struggling to balance league and Champions League commitments.

For those who follow Chelsea, it’s clear that the development of this team began on the night they traveled to Villa Park last season, with Enzo Fernandez scoring a brilliant free kick under Mauricio Pochettino.

Since then, Enzo Maresca has come in over the summer and taken this group of players to the next level, particularly with his careful management of the squad. At the weekend, the Italian manager did not have Malo Gusto available, even though he had returned to training. However, his excellent foresight meant Gusto was rested, and now Maresca can count on him for the upcoming game against Villa at Stamford Bridge.

The decision to rest Gusto has proven to be wise for several reasons, not least because Reece James is struggling with injuries and will be unavailable for at least a month after suffering a hamstring strain.

Chelsea have other players who can fill in at right-back, including Axel Disasi and sometimes Renato Veiga, but none of them offer the same ability to push into midfield and join the attack as the young French defender does.

Being a good manager involves carefully managing a squad of top earners and ensuring that players arrive at games fit and ready to perform at their optimum level.

When asked about Gusto's availability for the game against Heidenheim, Maresca said: “Yes, I think so. They both (Gusto and Neto) trained with us. We don’t take any risks for tomorrow’s game. I think both can be available for Sunday’s game [against Villa].”

Villa are likely to have Amadou Onana fit for this game, and when the Belgian plays, Unai Emery’s side often performs well.