Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea begin their Carabao Cup campaign when they take on League One side Lincoln City.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Lincoln
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Acheampong, Hato; Santos, Caicedo; Garnacho, Buonanotte, Gittens; George.
Lincoln have never advanced beyond the fourth round of this competition, last reaching that stage in 2022. The Blues, meanwhile, have lifted the trophy on five occasions.
This tie will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football from Sincil Bank, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm.
Chelsea team news vs Lincoln
Maresca will be forced into several changes for the trip to Lincoln. He is also expected to rotate his squad following Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.
The Italian head coach will view this as an opportunity to rest key figures while giving minutes to emerging talent. The major concern is Cole Palmer, who limped off in the 21st minute with a recurring groin issue that will rule him out of the midweek clash.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is suspended after his sending off against Man Utd. So Filip Jorgensen will start between the posts.
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Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile are not yet fit for selection despite Maresca revealing their returns are “very close”. Both players trained on Sunday as they push towards their first competitive appearances of the season.
Liam Delap remains sidelined until December with a hamstring injury, while Dario Essugo requires surgery on a thigh problem that has kept him out since pre-season.
Levi Colwill is the other long-term absentee as he continues his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Nineteen-year-old Jorrel Hato could start at left-back in rotation with Marc Cucurella, having twice come off the bench this term and been booked on both occasions.
Andrey Santos is in line for his first Chelsea start in midfield, while academy product Tyrique George may replace Pedro Neto on the left wing.
A chance for Chelsea to bounce back
Chelsea have endured a mixed start to their league campaign. The Blues suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season at the weekend.
Mresca will be eager to move past that setback and prove he can respond decisively after facing heavy criticism for his substitutions following Sanchez’s early red card.
Despite the two-division gap, Lincoln sit third in League One and are unbeaten this season, which will give them confidence as they welcome the Blues to Sincil Bank.
The Imps, roared on by a packed home crowd, will hope to exploit Chelsea’s likely youthful and inexperienced line-up to engineer a famous cup upset.
The Blues last won the competition in 2015 and have claimed five victories from 10 final appearances. Their most recent elimination by lower-league opposition came in 1999, when Division One Huddersfield beat them.