Enzo Maresca urges Chelsea’s fringe players to ‘be ready’ to contribute

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca promised more game time for his second-string stars as the fixture list intensifies, following a hard-fought 2-0 Conference League victory against Heidenheim.

The Italian made ten changes from his side's Premier League victory over Leicester, as has become common in Europe this season, as they battled to maintain their 100 percent record in the league against the 15th team in the Bundesliga.

Christopher Nkunku scored his 11th of the season to cement his place as the team's top scorer, before Mykhailo Mudryk struck late with a fine drive into the top corner to seal the win.

There were also impressive performances from Jadon Sancho – who scored both goals – and back-up goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who put in possibly his best performance since joining this summer.

“It was a very good challenge on all levels,” said Maresca. '(Heidenheim) had a lot of pressure and were intense, but whatever they do it is important that we are ready for it. It's important to continue with that mentality.

'They (the players) are ready and it is important. Filip played a very good match, Christo (Nkunku) the same. We have nine or ten games in December, so they will get more opportunities. They have to be ready.”

Manchester United loanee Sancho started for the first time since October 20 after a period of illness and injury, and he made the most of his opportunity by providing almost identical crosses for his team's two goals in Germany.

“I said since we started: Jadon is very important for us,” Maresca said. 'He has to be mentally and physically fit and he will help us enormously.

'Unfortunately we haven't used him in the last few games, but tonight he showed how important he is. We need that quality in the final third against a low block. He's going to help us a lot.”

There was also a third goal of the season for Mudryk, who scored with an excellent, rising drive that fired into the roof of the net to clear the danger in the closing stages.

Cesare Casadei was sent off for a second yellow card in the final minute of stoppage time, meaning he will miss Chelsea's next match in the tournament against Kazakhstan's Astana.

“It's difficult to find players tonight who didn't play well,” Maresca said. “We need all of them to seize the opportunities when they get the opportunities.

“They all want to play more; they all deserve to play and work fantastically. We are going to share minutes in the next games because we have so many games and it is a normal thing to do.”