ENZO MARESCA is braced for a wave of unsettled Chelsea stars knocking on his door next month.
Finishing top of the Conference League table means European football can be parked until March.
But it brings with it a dilemma over what to do with his second-string squad struggling for game time.
There are also deep-frozen players like Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka for whom the January transfer window offers a chance of escape.
Boss Maresca said: “There are players that unfortunately they didn’t play a lot with us in all the competitions, like Chilwell, like Carney.
“Probably they are the first that want to leave, because they work every day, they train every day, they want to play games and if they don’t play games they are thinking of leaving.
“For each player it’s a different situation.
“So we’re going to see if some of them are coming to knock on the door and say I want to leave.
“I’m not worried about the next three months. The only thing I can say is that we have many games.
“If they do the right things, if they work properly, for sure they’re all going to have a chance to play games. We will try to find a solution.
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“Next week we have three games. Then in January the FA Cup will start.
“Game by game we’re going to try to pick the best 11. The ones that we think are the right ones for that game. And then we’ll see.”
Maresca has trimmed a squad which totalled 43 at one stage.
But while the numbers are down he still has players like £56million Christopher Nkunku — who was pelted with toilet roll by Shamrock fans in Thursday’s European clash — confined to Conference League starts with Premier League appearances limited.
To a lesser extent, it is the same with £38.4m forward Joao Felix.
They are expensive and ambitious players to have kicking their heels for three months.
Chelsea have won eight games in a row — their best run for eight years.
They can go top if they win at Everton tomorrow, even if it is just for a few hours until leaders Liverpool face Tottenham.
Whatever happens, they are guaranteed to be in the top two at Christmas for the first time since 2016 — when they went on to become champions.
They have won the title on all five occasions they have been No 1 at Christmas — and never done it the four times they were second on December 25.
Maresca has Felix fit again but is still without midfielder Romeo Lavia and defender Wesley Fofana with injuries.
Crocked skipper Reece James was due to join training for the first time since his latest hamstring setback.
Maresca added: “We try to focus on the game, not on the consequence that we can be leaders for a few hours.
“The target is always the same; prepare the game to win the game. And then we’ll see.
“But I think Everton’s stadium is not only tough for Chelsea. I’ve been there many times, it’s tough for any club. But we’re going to see.
“If we win, Liverpool have that pressure. It’s more a question for them.”
