“Has to play” – Paul Merson urges Enzo Marseca to make one decision against FC Copenhagen | OneFootball

Paul Merson has called on Enzo Maresca to do one thing ahead of Chelsea’s Conference league tie with FC Copenhagen on Thursday.

The Blues play the first leg of their last 16 tie in Denmark as they begin what they hope will be their route to the final in May.

Chelsea have a 100% record in the competition having won all six of their matches in the league phase and they will be hoping that continues.

Merson urges Maresca to do one thing against Copenhagen

The pressure is very much on Maresca and his team to win the Conference League given the Blues are comfortably the best team in the competition.

Having been dumped out of both domestic cups this trophy represents their only chance of silverware this season, whilst there have been questions about Palmer’s future should Chelsea not qualify for the Champions League.

The Blues had the luxury of fielding an entirely different team for the league phase matches, but injuries to key players, and January departures mean Maresca doesn’t have the ability to make many changes.

Palmer hasn’t scored in his last seven games in all competitions. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

Cole Palmer, Mathis Amougou and Trevoh Chalobah were added to the squad for the knockout stages and there’s a chance the trio could feature on Thursday night.

Palmer hasn’t scored in his last seven games in all competitions, but Maresca stopped short of saying the England international would start in the Danish capital.

Merson believes Palmer should play and has urged Maresca to pick the 22-year-old in the starting line-up, for what would be his first European appearance for the Blues.

“Cole Palmer has to play in this game against Copenhagen,” he told Sky Sports.

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“The only thing was Palmer didn’t score [against Southampton]. He had three or four really good chances in that game where at the start of the season he would have scored them with a blindfold on. Everything went in, now he’s just snatching a little bit at them.

“He needs one to go in even if it goes in off his backside. Chelsea need that because when Palmer’s playing well, they are completely and utterly a different team.”