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      Chelsea fans fume at Enzo Maresca’s ‘fireable statement’ after another early cup exit to Brighton

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      CHELSEA manager Enzo Maresca enraged fans with his post-match statement after his team’s miserable FA Cup elimination.The Blues suffered another heartbreaking cup exit on Saturday after a 2-1 loss to Brighton, who came from behind at the Amex Stadium.Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca sparked fury within the fansCredit: GettyChelsea fans slammed Maresca after another cup eliminationCredit: GettyThe West Londoners opened the scoring with an own-goal by the Seagulls’ goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen but equalised with Georginio Rutter and turned the game on its head with Kaoru Mitoma.Chelsea were knocked out in the fourth round of the FA Cup, which marks another early exit after their premature elimination in the Last 16 of the Carabao Cup to Newcastle in October.This comes amid a poor run in the Premier League as well with Maresca’s billion-pound side winning only two out of their last eight matches, of which they lost three, which puts their top-four hopes in peril.Chelsea’s disappointing run has left fans frustrated and the Italian tactician’s post-match comments didn’t make things better as he tried to present a silver lining.Read More on ChelseaThe ex-Leicester boss suggested they could all take comfort in the fact they can still win the Conference League and finish top four in the Prem.Maresca said after the match: “Being out of the FA Cup, it’s a shame. No doubt.”If there is something positive, we can be focused on the Premier League and the Conference League. Hopefully we can continue our journey there.”That didn’t sit well with fans who stormed social media, where some even suggested that was a “fireable” statement.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSOne fan tweeted: “I don’t hate Maresca but that is a fireable statement for a Chelsea manager.”That Chelsea supporter posted: “Another gem, ‘If there is something good after losing a leg, it is that we can focus on being really excellent at hopping’.”Cole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training A third commented: “Imagine [Jose] Mourinho, [Antonio] Conte or [Thomas] Tuchel saying something like this.”This fan wrote: “This isn’t what Chelsea is about. Small club mentality drilled in from the top to the bottom and it shows on the pitch.”That one said: “Flexing the Conference League? We’ve fallen off so much.”And a sixth stated: “Sometimes it’s better to say ‘no comment’ or you get yourself sentenced. Ridiculous s**t to say this is Chelsea at least by name not by actions.”Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League table with two points ahead of defending champions Manchester City, who are fifth.The Blues also pose as favourites to win the Conference League after topping the league phase and making it straight into the Last 16 by winning all of their six matches.Chelsea ratings vs Brighton as pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a shockerBRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.But how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 5/10Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed.Nothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for Brighton’s winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly executed chip.Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forwards winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than his Tosin throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his sides efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the Englishman booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted fifteen minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident he had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his fullback. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicholas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with the Frenchman Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system.It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.Tyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact. More

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      Everton boss David Moyes pulled out of late January transfer move for former Chelsea title-winning striker

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      EVERTON boss David Moyes looked at a deal for Michy Batshuayi — before changing his mind.Moyes wanted an extra forward due to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury and made some thorough background checks on ex-Chelsea ace Batshuayi, 31.David Moyes pulled out of a late move for ex-Chelsea striker Michy BatshuayiCredit: RexBatshuayi spent six years at Chelsea but was often loaned outCredit: REUTERS/Eddie KeoghThe Belgian striker instead joined Eintracht Frankfurt from GalatasarayCredit: AFPBut reports on the star were not enough to tempt Everton for a loan until the end of the season.Batshuayi – who was loaned out to several European clubs during his six year spell at Stamford Bridge – instead joined Eintracht Frankfurt from Galatasaray on a permanent basis last month.The Belgian scored the goal that won Chelsea the Prem against West Brom in his debut season in 2016-2017.Everton also pulled away from a deal for France left-back Adrien Truffert, 23, as Rennes value him too highly.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd a deal for West Brom winger Tom Fellows, 21, was called off by the Toffees’ owners to save cash for the summer window.Moyes was previously linked with a move to bring Batshuayi to West Ham – during his first stint with the Hammers in 2018.Everton wanted to sign a striker during the winter window amid injuries to Calvert-Lewin, former Chelsea star Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti. This leaves the club with Beto – who is yet to truly hit the ground running – as their only No 9. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut the Guinea-Bissau international forward responded to Moyes’ faith with a brace against Leicester City.Fans are hoping that “magician” Moyes will save them from battling Premier League relegation in their final season at Goodison Park.Everton boss David Moyes tries to look forward after Tottenham win Since taking over from Sean Dyche on January 11, Moyes has won three of his five games in charge.After losing 1-0 to a top Aston Villa side in his first match in charge, the former Manchester United boss went on a run of three straight wins.The Blues beat Tottenham, Brighton and smashed Leicester 4-0, before losing 2-0 to Bournemouth in the fourth-round of the FA Cup on Saturday.Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison fired the Cherries into the next round during Everton’s last-ever FA Cup tie at their famous old ground.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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      ‘We don’t miss him’ – Chelsea boss Maresca fires brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after sending £46m flop out on loan

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      CHELSEA boss Enzo Maresca fired a brutal parting shot at Joao Felix after his move to AC Milan.Felix, 25, has joined the Serie A side on loan until the end of the season.Joao Felix has signed a loan deal with AC Milan until the end of the seasonCredit: GettyEnzo Maresca insists Chelsea do ‘not miss’ FelixCredit: GettyThe versatile Portuguese attacker’s exit comes just six months into his seven-year contract after the Blues signed him in a £46million deal from Atletico Madrid.With strikers Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu out injured, Chelsea crashed out the FA Cup in a 2-1 loss to Brighton.The club’s decision to allow Felix to leave was questioned, but the manager insisted he does not need him.Maresca said: “I don’t think we miss Joao. Joao is happy there and we are happy Joao is happy there. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”We had two striker injuries on Deadline Day, it is something difficult to think. “Nico can be back very soon. Sometimes I think you need to play some games without players to realise how important they are. “Off the ball, his pressing is always very good and on the ball he is a threat always.”Before the defeat to Brighton, Maresca asked about Felix, saying: “I don’t know about the future. It’s complicated to talk about the future.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Nothing bad happened. Players train everyday and want to play all the games.”But just 11 are playing. We decided together that it was a good option to leave. He never complained.”Bizarre moment Enzo Fernandez gives fan his shorts after Chelsea clash… but supporter SNIFFS themFelix started just three Premier League games this season, with the majority of his appearances coming in cup competitions.Christopher Nkunku led the line for Chelsea against Brighton but struggled. Maresca previously admitted he was open to playing Cole Palmer up front.Chelsea ratings vs Brighton as pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a shockerBRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.But how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings…Robert Sanchez – 5/10Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed.Nothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for Brighton’s winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly executed chip.Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forwards winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than his Tosin throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his sides efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the Englishman booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted fifteen minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident he had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his fullback. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicholas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with the Frenchman Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system.It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.Tyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact. More

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      Chelsea ratings: Pantomime villain Cucurella can hold head high but Nkunku has a stinker in FA Cup loss to Brighton

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      BRIGHTON came from behind to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup with Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly placed chip securing a 2-1 win for the Seagulls at the Amex stadium.A fiery opening to the game saw two goals in the opening 12 minutes. Bart Verbruggen inexplicably misjudged Cole Palmer’s cross and turned the ball into his own net to hand Chelsea a 1-0 lead five minutes in.Chelsea suffered a shock elimination from the FA Cup after losing to BrightonCredit: ReutersChelsea ace Marc Cucurella can hold his head highCredit: ReutersChristopher Nkunku disappointed against BrightonCredit: AlamyBrighton, however, bounced back fast thanks to a perfectly placed Georginio Rutter header.It was a fiery rest of the first half, without either side really creating many chances. Both sides were flying into the challenges however, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Joel Veltman both picking up yellow cards for hefty tackles.It didn’t take long for Brighton to go in front in the second half. The Seagulls escaped a possible handball shout before Kaoru Mitoma chipped ex-Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez to put the home side ahead in the 57th minute.Chelsea never looked like forcing a way back into the game after going behind, with the lack of a goal scoring striker up top really hurting Enzo Maresca’s side.Read More on ChelseaBut how did Chelsea’s players fare? Who was the biggest let down and who was the best of the worst? Check out SunSport’s player ratings below for more:Robert Sanchez – 5Back in the side after being dropped by Enzo Maresca after a number of errors this season. The Spaniard looked shaky on the ball at the start of the game but seemed to brush off his nerves as the match developed. CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSNothing he could do about Brighton’s opener with Georginio Rutter’s perfectly-placed header flying past him.Perhaps a little slow off his line for the Seaulls’ winner, but take nothing away from Kaoru Mitoma’s perfectly-executed chip.Most read in FootballCole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training Malo Gusto – 5Worked tirelessly charging up and down the right flank for Chelsea, but failed to have much joy going forward or defensively.Struggled to deal with the dangerous Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game, and was caught napping out of position for the Japanese forward’s winner.Tosin Adarabioyo – 5Alongside Trevoh Chalobah, was guilty of allowing Georginio Rutter to drift into space to fire home Brighton’s early equaliser.Played some confident passes at times, but also looked like a walking mistake on the ball at times. Was caught in possession on the halfway line by Georginio Rutter which almost led to a Brighton goal.Trevoh Chalobah  – 6Equally as responsible for Brighton’s opening goal alongside his centre-back partner, allowing Rutter a free header in the box.Was more composed on the ball than Tosin Adarabioyo throughout the game, however, and already looks like Chelsea’s best centre-back after being recalled from loan.Marc Cucurella – 6The pantomime villain of the evening at the Amex Stadium, with Brighton fans spending the full 90 minutes booing their ex-player everytime he got a hold of the ball.Was solid throughout the game, although failed to have the attacking impact that he has had for Chelsea in recent games.Moises Caicedo – 6Looked to be running a one-man midfield before Enzo Fernandez was introduced in the second half.Worked tirelessly but was clearly frustrated with his side’s efforts, putting in a couple of nasty tackles which led to him being booked.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 4A rare start for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea this season, and in truth, he failed to take advantage.A very poor challenge early on saw the midfielder booked, and he failed to have any impact on his side going forward or defensively in the first half.Was substituted 15 minutes into the second half for Enzo Fernandez in the wake of Brighton’s second goal.Pedro Neto – 5An injury concern midway through the first half, which in truth he never quite looked to shake off.Looked confident and had the better of Tariq Lamptey, often beating his full-back. His final ball, however, was sorely lacking throughout the match, with a number of crosses flying over everyoneCole Palmer – 6Played his part in Chelsea’s opener with a first-time cross into the box – although it’s difficult to mark that goal down as anything other than a Bart Verbruggen howler.Looked like he was missing his regular attacking partner Nicolas Jackson, with a clear lack of connection with Christopher Nkunku up top.Jadon Sancho – 5Looked uninterested for large parts of the first half, and failed to close down Joel Veltman, who whipped in the cross for Brighton’s opener.He picked up in the second half with some direct dribbling, although never managed to find the final ball.Christopher Nkunku – 2It’s hard not to feel sorry for Christopher Nkunku, with the forward looking completely lost in Enzo Maresca’s system. It genuinely seemed like he wasn’t on the pitch at times, with the Frenchman missing in action for large parts of the game.The one clear chance he had running through on goal, he bizarrely elected to cross the ball rather than have an effort himself.SUBS:Enzo Fernandez (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 59) – 7Brought an air of control to Chelsea’s midfield which was sorely lacking before. Played a few nice passes with the short time he had on the pitch.Nothing came of his efforts, although perhaps the result would have been different for Chelsea had he started the game.READ MORE SUN STORIESTyrique George (Jadon Sancho, 73) – 5Spurned a great opportunity over the bar, and other than that failed to have any impact.Noni Madueke (Pedro Neto, 73) – 6Barely saw any of the ball after he was introduced. More

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      Chelsea closing in on transfer for Sporting wonderkid Dario Essugo despite young stars’ concerns about joining Blues

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      CHELSEA are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario Essugo.The Blues want to sort out a fee with the Portuguese side quickly as the 19-year-old midfielder’s reputation grows on loan at Las Palmas.Chelsea are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario EssugoCredit: GettyEssugo’s reputation grows while on loan at Las PalmasCredit: GettyEssugo will only be keen if he is to be part of the squad — a growing issue with young stars chased by the London club.Striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 18, chose Bournemouth instead of Chelsea last week when he quit French side Lorient.And the Blues’ Argentinian centre-half Aaron Anselmino, 19, refused a loan to Strasbourg because he does not want to be moved around.Essugo joined Sporting in 2014 at the tender age of nine years old.Read More on FootballAfter eight years within the Lisbon giants’ youth ranks, the defensive midfielder earned a senior call-up.The Portugal Under-21 international would then split his time between the first and B team.That led to recent loan stints at Chaves and of course Las Palmas.Essugo has amassed a total of one goal in 14 appearances with the LaLiga outfit this season.Most read in FootballThis comes after a total of 25 appearances with Sporting the last four years.Essugo made history with the Portuguese outfit in 2021 when he became the club’s youngest ever player to wear the jersey at just 16 years and six daysChelsea vs West Ham: Player Ratings BreakdownChelsea didn’t bring any new players during this past January transfer window.The Blues just recalled Gabriel Slonina, Trevoh Chalobah, David Datro Fofana and Anselmino from their loan stints. More

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      Thiago Silva’s Wag Belle enjoys sunshine break on luxury yacht as their son Isago, 16, makes debut for Chelsea U-18s

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      LIFE doesn’t get much better for Thiago Silva’s family.Or that’s what the Chelsea legend’s wife and elder son might tell him!Belle Silva’s army of online fans loved her bikini snapsCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaShe has 724,000 followers on Instagram aloneCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaBelle rated this adventure with friends as ‘therapeutic’Credit: Instagram / @bellesilvaShe named three special things in her life while at seaCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaSocial media star Belle looked in balmy bliss on a “therapeutic” trip with friends aboard a luxury yacht off the sunny Brazilian coast.Meanwhile, the couple’s 16-year-old son Isago took another huge step forward to fulfilling his and dad Thiago’s dream.Isago made his Chelsea Under-18s debut, having joined the Blues’ youth team along with younger sibling Iago four years ago.Thiago would dearly love his two sons to follow him all the way into the Stamford Bridge first team.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 40-year-old centre-back is still playing after returning to home-country giants Fluminense last May.Defender Isago, who normally plays in Chelsea’s U-16s, came on for the final 25 minutes as the U-18s beat Leicester 3-1 on Saturday.Mum Belle was sometimes a fiercely outspoken fan when her husband was at Stamford Bridge.But she will have had only an extra big grin on her face after Isago’s age-group elevation.Most read in FootballThiago Silva said a tearful goodbye from Chelsea in May 2024, with wife Belle plus sons Isago and Iago in attendanceCredit: ReutersJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSHowever, it would be difficult to top the huge smile she wore when soaking in every second out in the water off secluded beaches.Super-toned Belle relaxed in a bikini as she shared snaps and named the three things that made it all so special.Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner set to get £750k to star in Celeb Big Brother – but only if bosses agree to strict ruleAlong with her Instagram photos, she wrote: “Bathing in the sea, friends getting together and my Rio de Janeiro… “There are things that are not therapy, but they are therapeutic, right?”And far from sounding envious, Belle’s online admirers lapped up her love for life.One said: “Wonderful as always, thank you for providing a weekend in my week.””Congratulations! You know how to enjoy life,” commented another, while a third simply claimed: “You are the best!”And one fan appeared to suggest Belle’s online offerings were literally out of this world.He called her the “best digital influencer in the universe”.Fans are used to Belle sharing snaps in perfect weatherCredit: Instagram @bellesilvaShe lists ‘fashion, family & lifestyle’ as prime interestsCredit: Instagram @bellesilvaHer smile suggests locations don’t come more dreamy than thisCredit: INSTAGRAM/BELLE SILVABelle was happy to speak her mind while Thiago was at ChelseaCredit: instagram @bellesilva More

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      Cole Palmer set for shock position change as Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca hints a new tactic for FA Cup tie at Brighton

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      ENZO MARESCA warned Cole Palmer could be forced into a change of position to help solve Chelsea’s injury crisis. The Blues travel to Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round tonight – but do so with attackers sidelined. Enzo Maresca warned Cole Palmer could be forced into a change of positionCredit: ReutersStrike pair Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu were both forced off in Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge against West Ham on Monday. It leaves Christopher Nkunku and Palmer – who played through the middle for Maresca at Manchester City’s academy – as options to lead the line. Maresca said: “We have players. Christo has played already as a nine. I had Cole playing as a nine in the past. We can find some different solutions. “At the moment, we didn’t decide anything because we are still waiting for Nico and from there, we will see different options.”READ MORE IN footballPalmer is Chelsea’s top scorer this season with 14 – playing almost all of his football in the No10 role. He started on the right in the 2-0 opening day defeat against Premier League champions City – before remaning in the middle. Nkunku is behind Palmer with 13 goals this season but only two of those have come in the league. He has provided back up to Jackson – on nine goals – but Maresca says the Frenchman is best in the No10. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSNkunku – who came on against West Ham on the left – was linked with a move to Bayern Munich the January transfer window. But he stayed in West London and Maresca hinted at giving the former RB Leipzig star more minutes. Cole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training He said: “I spoke last week already about Christo. “Probably against West Ham, he played more or less half an hour and hopefully from now on he can get more minutes and help us.” The Blues boss named Nkunku as one of the players who can help ease pressure off Palmer’s scoring shoulders.He said: “We have just 14 [league] games to go. It’s just 14 games, not a big number.“Since we started, Cole plays always, so I don’t think it is something that is going to make a difference for Cole. “Also we have Christo in that position. We can have different players who play there.”Christopher Nkunku is set for more game time at ChelseaCredit: Getty More

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      Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea discover how much Matheus Cunha transfer will cost as release clause revealed

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      MATHEUS CUNHA is one of the Premier League’s most coveted stars – and it will take a huge offer to prize him away from Wolves. Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all tracking the exciting 25-year-old Brazilian striker. Matheus Cunha has signed a new long-term contract with WolvesCredit: AlamyThe deal includes a hefty eight-figure release clauseCredit: RexCunha penned a new four-year deal at Molineux last weekend as speculation swirled over his future. The forward was linked with a move away from the West Midlands throughout the January transfer window.But he committed his long-term future to Wolves on Saturday.Cunha’s new release clause stands at a hefty £62million, according to The Mail. READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe report claims the clause will become active at the end of the season. And it can be activated by ANY club – with no restrictions on who can come in for the exciting playmaker. Cunha was targeted by United and Arsenal in January, but neither put in a solid bid.While Nottingham Forest were reportedly ready to smash their transfer record to bring him to the City Ground.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSCunha is now tasked with helping Wolves stay in the Premier League.The arrival of new boss Vitor Pereira initially sparked a revival among the strugglers.Which Manchester United stars should stay and go?But four defeats in the last five mean Wolves have been unable to pull away from the chasing pack.They currently sit 16th, just two points above Leicester in the final relegation spot and seven behind a resurgent Everton in 15th.Manchester United are likely to require a centre-forward this summer as they eye a complete rebuild under Ruben Amorim.The Red Devils are set to put almost their entire squad up for sale as they reset following a dismal last few years. United will have to sell their biggest stars to make room for incomings, with striker Marcus Rashford set for a permanent move away after joining Aston Villa on loan. Arsenal are also in need of additional firepower and currently lack a natural centre-forward in the squad.Cunha made the switch to Wolves from Atletico Madrid, initially on loan in January 2023 before a £44million permanent deal.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe began his career with Swiss side Sion before spells in Germany with Red Bull Leipzig and Hertha Berlin.So far this season, he’s scored 11 goals in 23 games, adding 4 assists. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More