Shim Mheuka gamble, Cole Palmer dilemma and the six Chelsea changes Enzo Maresca needs to make

Enzo Maresca faces some difficult decisions ahead of Thursday evening's Conference League second-leg tie against Copenhagen.

Chelsea welcome the Danes to Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 advantage after a tight first-leg in Denmark last week. After a largely dull encounter in the first-half at the Parken Stadium, the Blues improved in the second period and went two goals ahead before a header from Gabriel Pereira halved the deficit going into this week's clash.

Maresca, around 24 hours before the game in his pre-match press conference, said Chelsea were taking this competition very seriously. The Conference League is the Blues' only opportunity of winning silverware in the Italian's first season at the club but his team selection in the Danish capital included two academy stars in Tyrique George and Shim Mheuka.

George was less of a surprise given his consistent involvement with the senior side this season but starting Mheuka as the No.9 shocked many. While it is always great to see teenagers like Mheuka, who is just 17-years-old, given a chance, it was a gamble that did not really work. Not to any fault of Mheuka's, it is important to add, with Chelsea's approach in the first-half limiting their attacking opportunities.

It did not last too long. At half-time, Maresca had seen enough in Copenhagen and chose to make three changes to his side. On came Christopher Nkunku, Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill for Mheuka, Moises Caicedo and Benoit Badiashile. The three subs from Maresca changed the game and Chelsea started to look like a side that are favourites to win the competition.

The way the game turned from 46 minutes onwards has now begged a few questions ahead of Thursday's decisive meeting between the two teams. Maresca made seven changes to the side for Chelsea's Premier League clash with Leicester City less than 72 hours later and we are expecting to see even more alterations for the European tie later in the week.

Robert Sanchez was used against the Foxes at the weekend with the Spaniard seemingly reclaiming his position as Chelsea's No.1 goalkeeper. This means we could see Filip Jorgensen return between the posts on Thursday night with the Dane having been used in the majority of the Blues' European adventure up until now.

Wesley Fofana returned to the line-up for the first time in over three months on Sunday but the Frenchman is not in the Conference League squad. Trevoh Chalobah could be an option to replace Fofana on the right-hand side of defence. Reece James missed the weekend's game with Leicester due to illness and even if he is well enough to play, Maresca may have an eye on Sunday afternoon's visit to Arsenal for his captain.

Badiashile may replace Colwill in the Chelsea starting XI for the visit of Copenhagen. The French defender returned to the team last week in Denmark for the first time since December after recovering from a lengthy hamstring problem. Badiashile lasted just 45 minutes then but Maresca will be hoping to build his fitness up gradually.

If Malo Gusto is fit enough to return, then he may well come in at left-back and hand Marc Cucurella a rest. Other than that, Chelsea are fairly short of options on the left-hand side of the back four.

The midfield two could remain the same as the weekend. Both Caicedo and Fernandez are playing exceptionally well at the minute and while Chelsea should go through to the last eight, they may well need two of their best players out there to ensure that happens. Romeo Lavia is not in the Conference League squad after returning to the bench at the weekend in the Premier League.

George should come back into the team. The winger has been positive for Chelsea in his last few appearances and is a splendid option to have for Maresca, particularly with the games coming thick and fast at this point of the season. Cole Palmer and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to complete the attacking line behind Nkunku, who may well return to being the No.9 despite dropping deeper in recent outings.

Palmer has been well below-par in recent games and is on a goal drought that extended to nine matches on Sunday after missing a first-half penalty in the win against Leicester. Chelsea's No.20 will be hoping to end said drought when Copenhagen come to town on Thursday. However, with the Arsenal match having such a small time in between, Maresca will be hoping he is in a position to take the England international off on around 60 or 70 minutes.

Possible Chelsea XI to take on Copenhagen: Jorgensen; Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile, Gusto; Caicedo, Fernandez; George, Palmer, Dewsbury-Hall; Nkunku.