Chelsea full squad revealed as Enzo Maresca drops Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku hint

Chelsea supporters will be desperate to see Romeo Lavia back in action after a brilliant pre-season and start to the campaign

Enzo Maresca has a wealth of options at his disposal for Chelsea's clash against Brighton. The Blues will face the Seagulls at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon as either side looks to climb the Premier League table.

Chelsea head into the tie following a 5-0 win over Barrow in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday evening. Since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season, the west Londoners have enjoyed a seven-game unbeaten streak, winning six and drawing just once.

As for Brighton, they'll be determined to return to winning ways after they were held to a draw at the Amex Stadium by Nottingham Forest last weekend. Nevertheless, speaking to reporters ahead of the Seagulls encounter, Maresca confirmed that Romeo Lavia has returned from the treatment room, but Reece James remains out.

"Romeo is available for tomorrow – The only one who isn't available is Reece [James]," said the Italian. The Chelsea boss was then asked if the 20-year-old midfielder is fit enough to start.

Keeping his cards close to his chest, he said: "We will see. We will see. We have one more session and then we will decide, but the important is that he is finally back."

Later in the pre-match press conference, Maresca was quizzed on his frontline, with Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku both enjoying a great vein of form. He said: "Yes, it's one of them but Pedro [Neto] did well the other day.

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"Misha (Mykhailo Mudryk) did well the other day, all of them. Benoit [Badiashile] did well, Axel [Disasi] did well, Renato [Veiga] and Cesare [Casadei], for me, played a fantastic game the other day. It's important that when there is a chance, even if it's five or 10 minutes, they give everything. It's important."

Ben Chilwell, who failed to attract any interest in the summer transfer window, made his first appearance for Chelsea under Maresca against Barrow earlier this week. On whether the left-back could get some more minutes in the Premier League, the Blues boss said: "Yeah, in the moment that we need, why not? "

I said already many times and I will say again; in the moment Chilly is with us, he is one of the Chelsea players and one of our players. If we need, we can give him time and minutes."

Full Chelsea squad

Goalkeeper: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, Lucas Bergstrom.

Defenders: Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Renato Veiga, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto.

Midfielders: Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei.

Wingers and Forwards: Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu.

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