League Cup: Enzo Maresca warns Chelsea to take 'dangerous' Barrow seriously

Blues face League Two leaders at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told his players not to let their standards drop against Barrow. EPA

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said anything less than full concentration from his side against Barrow on Tuesday night could result in a League Cup upset.

Chelsea begin their League Cup campaign against League Two leaders Barrow at Stamford Bridge following an encouraging start to the Premier League season, and given both the gulf in class between the two teams and the Blues' squad depth, Maresca's side are overwhelming favourites to progress.

However, Chelsea face an in-form Barrow who have won five of their seven league games so far to sit at the top of their league while having also eliminated Championship side Derby County in the League Cup second round to set up a meeting with the Blues.

As such, Maresca is expecting a tough game against Stephen Clemence's team and is determined to ensure Chelsea avoid a shock defeat. He will also be aware that for all of Chelsea's impressive away form, they are yet to win at Stamford Bridge this season.

"It is dangerous because football is full of these kinds of games that you think is an easy game and then it's a tricky game," Maresca said. "Probably in this moment, it's the worst game for us. It's much better to have a different kind of game and this is the reason why we need to take it seriously and we cannot allow ourselves to drop a little bit."

Chelsea reached the League Cup final last season where they missed several chances and were eventually beaten by a Virgil van Dijk header in extra time as a depleted Liverpool lifted the trophy.

Maresca made it clear during his pre-match press conference that the Premier League is the priority this season as the club aim to return to the Uefa Champions League via a top-four finish, but insisted the target remains the same to win every game regardless of the competition.

Chelsea's 3-0 win at West Ham in photos

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  Nicolas Jackson scores his and Chelsea's second goal in their 3-0 Premier League win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on September 29, 2024. PA

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  Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their third goal with Nicolas Jackson. Getty Images

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  Cole Palmer puts Chelsea 3-0 up in the 47th minute. EPA

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  Nicolas Jackson celebrates putting Chelsea into a fourth-minute lead. Reuters

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  Mohammed Kudus scores for West Ham in the first half only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. AFP

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  Gaps in the stands at the London Stadium after West Ham fans left the ground before the final whistle. PA

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  Nicolas Jackson puts Chelsea 1-0 up. Getty Images

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  Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

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  Chelsea substitute Joao Felix fires a shot wide of the target. Reuters

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  Chelsea's Moses Caicedo slides in to tackle Mohammed Kudus of West Ham. EPA

"It’s important but not because we think we’re going to win this competition. It’s important because it’s an official game so we’re going to try in the way we always try to prepare for the game in the best way to try to win," he said.

"But in the first game already to be thinking that we can win [the whole competition] because we were close last year … for sure we’re going to try to win all the games but the main focus needs to be just that it’s an official game and we need to do our best to win the game.

"For sure we would like to win the trophy. But we need to go game by game in every competition and then see where we are close and fight for that. At this moment I don’t see any competition [other than the Premier League] as better than any other one, that’s not for us.

"We need to take every game in the same way and then we see at the end if we are close to something and then go for it."

Chelsea will be able to call on full-back Malo Gusto after the France international returned to training from an injury sustained before the international break. However, midfielder Romeo Lavia, who took part in modified training this week alongside Gusto, is not yet ready to return.

"Malo is available for tomorrow. Romeo is not available for tomorrow," Marseca said. "Hopefully he can be available for the Brighton game [on Saturday]."

Maresca is expected to shuffle his pack for the game against Barrow, which will include a start for summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder moved from Leicester City to Chelsea to reunite with Maresca but has had to settle for a place among the squad players during the early stages of his Blues career.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is set to start for Chelsea against Barrow. EPA

While Dewsbury-Hall has gone from key starter at Leicester to squad player at Chelsea, Maresca said he is happy with his contribution to the team.

"Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, yes, probably [he will start tomorrow night]," added Maresca. "We have a session this afternoon and I also like to tell the players before anyone else.

"I’m very happy with Kiernan. If we simply judge a team or a player based on how they play or if we win, we also need to understand Kiernan was the main player at Leicester and he is not now and is not the main player, he is one of the players.

"For him and for any player in the world, you need to adapt because you go from being the main player to becoming one of the players. That period requires time to understand that and you adapt, but I am completely happy with Kiernan and what he is doing."

There could also be a first appearance of the season for former Chelsea vice-captain Ben Chilwell on Tuesday evening. The left-back was a regular starter for most of his Blues career until injuries over the past two seasons and Maresca's arrival saw him exiled. An exit couldn't be secured over the summer and Chilwell was welcomed back into the fold, although he is yet to play a single minute of the new season.

There could also be minutes for midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka as well as academy graduates Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong.

"The players you mentioned are going to be in the squad tomorrow," Maresca said. "Some of them we will see if they will start from the beginning but if not, they will be on the bench and hopefully we can give them some moments."