Another midweek cup game, another opportunity for Enzo Maresca’s second-string Chelsea XI to show they deserve more than merely a place on the bench in the Premier League.
The visit of FC Noah, from the remote town of Armavir in western Armenia, is the latest opportunity for Joao Felix to press his case.
Felix has unquestionably been the pick of the bunch from Chelsea’s de facto ‘B’ team this season, but his problem is that he plays in the same position as Cole Palmer.
He is at his most comfortable playing as the No10, where Palmer is the leading midfield scorer in Europe’s major leagues in 2024 and undroppable.
But Maresca offered up the idea last week that Palmer and Felix could play together.
Joao Felix has been largely reduced to a ‘B’ team role
John Walton/PA Wire
“It depends on the game”, he explained. “Probably soon we are going to see Joao and Cole together …