Chelsea vs Ajax: Enzo Maresca’s young stars shine in 5-1 Champions League win over Ajax
Champions League nights at Stamford Bridge are back this season, and so far, have been delivering to the Chelsea faithful, with a 5-1 win over Ajax the latest triumph.
The success on the night of Wednesday, October 23, was Chelsea’s fourth win in four games - Benfica, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and now, Ajax.
Despite the unavailability or lack of match fitness of key players, Enzo Maresca still managed to pick up yet another important win.
He fielded a young squad, with the starting XI having an average age of 22 years and 163 days - the second youngest in the competition's history. Still, the youngsters proved themselves in front of the home crowd.
Chelsea news: Chelsea’s striker gamble backfires as Nicolas Jackson’s injury exposes attacking crisis
Chelsea's attacking woes have deepened with the news that Nicolas Jackson, their primary striker, is sidelined until April due to a hamstring injury.
The timing couldn’t be worse, with Enzo Maresca already navigating an inconsistent season.
FA Cup analysis: Brighton vs Chelsea - Five key battles and score prediction
Brighton host Chelsea in an FA Cup fourth-round clash on Saturday, February 8, that promises to entertain.
The two sides met at the start of the season in a chaotic 4-2 win for the Blues at Stamford Bridge, which saw superstar Cole Palmer score a first-half hat-trick.