Maresca insists Guiu will get game time for Chelsea

Enzo Maresca has insisted that Marc Guiu will get game time for Chelsea this season – and that he has recently seen improvement from the young striker in training.

The 19-year-old initially joined Sunderland on a season-long loan during the summer but was recalled in August because of Liam Delap’s hamstring injury.

Guiu returned to west London and Nicolas Jackson was allowed to join Bayern Munich.

But the teenager is yet to play since making his Chelsea comeback, with Tyrique George preferred up front in midweek against Benfica.

Despite his lack of action so far, Maresca says Guiu is part of his plans.

“Marc is working well. He has been very good this week. Much better compared to the first week,” head coach Maresca said.

“For sure, He will get minutes for us and play games.”

The Chelsea boss was then asked if Guiu’s development is at risk, with less opportunities to play at Stamford Bridge compared to newly-promoted Sunderland.

“I don’t think there’s a risk to development,” Maresca said.

“He is back at a big club like Chelsea, he will get minutes, no doubt.

“Development for a young player is not all about games, it is about day by day, and he is working with us.”

Speaking at his pre-match news conference ahead of this weekend’s clash with Liverpool, Maresca referred to being without “seven or eight” players and had no update to offer on when Cole Palmer might return to the side.

“I don’t have an update, we have a meeting this week to make a decision,” he said.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Andrey Santos and Dario Luis Essugo are out injured along with Palmer and Delap, while Trevoh Chalobah is suspended, having been sent off against Brighton last weekend.