Paul Merson tells Enzo Maresca to bench Chelsea star for Manchester United clash

Paul Merson has urged Enzo Maresca to seat Jadon Sancho for his instrumentality to Manchester United and backed Chelsea to beryllium excessively beardown for the Red Devils.

Maresca takes Chelsea to Old Trafford connected Sunday hoping to get backmost to winning ways pursuing a disappointing decision to Newcastle United successful the Carabao Cup connected Wednesday night.

Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-1 successful the Premier League past weekend but mislaid 2-0 astatine St James’ Park successful midweek to clang retired of the Carabao Cup earlier the quarter-final stage.

The decision represents a uncommon blip successful what has been a promising commencement to Maresca’s reign arsenic Chelsea brag and Merson expects them to permission Old Trafford with 3 points.

But the ex-Arsenal and England winger has urged Maresca not to commencement Sancho against his erstwhile nine and alternatively springiness chap summertime signing Pedro Neto different accidental to impressment from the off.

Sancho joined Chelsea connected a season-long indebtedness connected transportation deadline day but the woody includes an work for the Blues to motion him permanently from Manchester United adjacent summer.

Champions League finalist Sancho has blown blistery and acold since arriving astatine Stamford Bridge – conscionable arsenic helium did for 3 years astatine Old Trafford – and is yet to unfastened his relationship for Chelsea, though helium does person 3 assists successful the Premier League.

United fable Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to beryllium successful complaint of the squad connected Sunday arsenic the Manchester giants continue to enactment connected a woody for Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim pursuing Erik 10 Hag’s sacking.

‘It’s existent that Manchester United were not fortunate during the decision to West Ham,’ Merson told Sportskeeda. ‘But this is Manchester United we’re talking about, you can’t support surviving connected excuses similar that.

‘They were each implicit the place, mislaid the crippled and are successful the bottommost half. So the determination to sack Erik 10 Hag was justified, nary constituent waiting around!

‘I think Chelsea will triumph this game. I lone accidental that due to the fact that they’ll play retired from the backmost and the lone mode they tin get bushed is if teams get the shot from them precocious up the transportation by closing them down.

‘I don’t deliberation United volition bash that up front, they’re conscionable lazy. So I person a feeling that Chelsea tin play done them and triumph the game.

‘Chelsea rested galore of their players during the Carabao Cup decision to Newcastle, but I didn’t recognize their determination to support Cole Palmer connected the bench.

‘If you don’t privation to play him, wherefore are you taking him each the mode to Newcastle for the game? Just let him to remainder astatine location alternatively of asking him to instrumentality the agelong travel and beryllium connected the seat each night.

‘Chelsea should commencement Pedro Neto implicit Jadon Sancho successful this game. Neto has gait and helium tin truly wounded United.

‘Sancho has this inclination to dilatory the crippled down a bit. Neto volition beryllium truly utile erstwhile Chelsea bushed United’s property and play done them.

‘United went and won 5-2 against Leicester successful their cupful game. I’m reasoning if Ten Hag was inactive there, Chelsea would beryllium immense favourites successful this game.

‘But with Ruud van Nistelrooy successful complaint now, determination volition beryllium a alteration for sure. They inactive look astatine spot disjointed though, not what you expect from a due team.

‘The occupation is that United don’t person capable clip to enactment connected these things and bushed Chelsea this weekend.

‘I was successful Portugal past twelvemonth and they talk precise highly of Ruben Amorim. He’s a bully manager, but what he’s done determination successful Portugal, it’s a three-team league astatine the extremity of the day.

‘This volition beryllium a wholly antithetic challenge. Now they’re talking of bringing Viktor Gyokeres in. This is what does my caput in, honestly.

‘He was playing for Coventry a portion agone and nary 1 wanted him. Now helium goes to a lesser league, does good and abruptly you person to wage £40-50 cardinal other for him!

‘Imagine if helium was inactive astatine Coventry and United wanted him? Everybody volition beryllium losing their minds.’

Ten Hag was sacked with Manchester United conscionable 14th successful the Premier League, 7 points extracurricular the Champions League places and six points supra the relegation zone.

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