Enzo Maresca has dismissed suggestions that he was in line to take over at Manchester United before joining Chelsea. Maresca is in his second season at Chelsea, having guided the Blues to the Conference League and Club World Cup titles in his first campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Alejandro Garnacho will return to Old Trafford on Saturday when Chelsea face Manchester United in the Premier League.

Chelsea have culled the numbers in their camp to move forward with Enzo Maresca. He was quizzed about the situation of two 'bomb squad' members stuck with no way out from the team this summer, but he was very adamant that "any club in the world" will have been in such situations before.

Ruben Amorim has had a full week to prepare his Manchester United side for their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, and Enzo Maresca has spoken out ahead of the game

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca used the hardship suffered by his fisherman father to forcefully defend his club’s treatment of unwanted players such as Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi after reports emerged claiming that the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) had intervened to defend their interests.

Alejandro Garnacho is another man in the mix for the wide positions. He spent the summer in the bomb squad of Man United, so it has taken time to get him up to speed in terms of fitness. But after two appearances as a substitute, he is in a much better place to possibly be in the starting eleven.

Maresca lauds Palmer after influential Chelsea role; Blues boss keen to rotate growing squad; Chelsea set to face Manchester United live on Saturday Night Football; kick-off 5.30pm

Enzo Maresca is getting his excuses in early as Chelsea prepare to face Manchester United tomorrow. The Blues coach had already admitted that the midweek rest that United had this week would be an advantage,