Chelsea legend tells Enzo Maresca to give two ‘quality’ stars more game time

Pat Nevin believes that Enzo Maresca would be wise to give two ‘quality’ Chelsea players more of an opportunity in his starting XI.

Having spent an exorbitant amount of money in the summer window, the Blues have made an impressive start to the Premier League season.

Under new boss Maresca, Chelsea have not lost in the league since the opening day of the season, with the Italian recently named manager of the month for September.

Despite plenty of options to choose from, the Italian has settled upon a familar lineup in the league, instead prefering to use the Conference League as a means of providing minutes to his squad players.

However, former Chelsea great Nevin believes that two summer signings, Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, have shown enough quality to warrant more minutes in the big games.

Joao Felix has one goal since his return to Stamford Bridge but has only started two games in all competitions so far this season.

Dewsbury-Hall, meanwhile, has taken time to adapt to his move to the Blues, but showed his quality with a well-taken goal against Gent in the Conference League earlier this month.

‘Enzo Maresca has started well,’ Nevin told Metro.co.uk. ‘He’s got a more stable-looking squad and style which wasn’t there before.

‘At the start of the season, I predicted top four for Chelsea which not many people went for but the basics are there now and they’ve got that quality in the squad.

‘I’m a massive fan of Joao Felix. He’s kind of been dismissed a bit by a lot of people but don’t dismiss him. He needs to get a better run in the first team, perhaps when they need cover for Cole Palmer. There’s no doubt he’ll prove people wrong.

‘If you look further around that team, people like Dewsbury-Hall have not even got a game yet and he’s great, a really, super player. He showed that in the Conference League a few weeks back and he surely needs more chances soon.’

Nevin believes the Blues still have work to do, particularly at the back, to become the finished article but is pleased to see his former side back to their free-flowing best.

‘They’ve got creativity all over the pitch,’ the Scot added. ‘I don’t think the defence is quite right yet – I think everybody can see that – but the quality of players they’ve got coming in now is incredible.

‘I find them entertaining and whether they win or not or get top four, I like to be entertained. Chelsea over the last few decades have been entertaining, there’s never a dull moment and I expect that’s going to carry on this season.’

Pat Nevin was speaking to Metro.co.uk on behalf of sports betting site BetVictor.

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