Chelsea travel to face League One side Lincoln City on Tuesday in a Carabao Cup tie that has become a must-win fixture for manager Enzo Maresca.
A difficult week has seen the Blues suffer consecutive defeats to Bayern Munich and Manchester United. This has left the team in a three-match winless slump and in desperate need of a positive result.
The pressure was intensified by a disastrous trip to Old Trafford on Saturday, which saw goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sent off in the opening minutes of a 2-1 defeat. Therefore, a professional and convincing performance against lower-league opposition is vital. Maresca will demand an immediate reaction from his players to halt the decline and restore confidence.
Chelsea XI vs Lincoln City – Predicted lineup and team news
Chelsea team news
Enzo Maresca will be forced into several changes for the trip to Lincoln. Robert Sanchez will be unavailable for the cup tie after being sent off in the weekend’s Premier League match against Manchester United. His suspension means that Filip Jorgensen, who replaced him at Old Trafford, is now in line to make his first start for the club. The manager is also without the injured trio of Liam Delap, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo, while Cole Palmer is a major doubt.
This injury situation presents an opportunity for several young players, with Alejandro Garnacho set to make his first start and the likes of Tyrique George and Jaden Gittens also vying for inclusion.
Chelsea predicted Lineup
Chelsea predicted XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Hato; Santos, Fernandez; Garnacho, George, Gittens; Guiu
When is Lincoln City vs Chelsea?
The Carabao Cup fixture will be played at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday, 23 September 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45 pm BST.
How to watch Lincoln City vs Chelsea?
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football in the UK. Coverage begins at 7:30 pm BST.
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