We all expected Chelsea to pick a relatively strong team for tonight’s game against LAFC in the Club World Cup, but even then, the fact that Enzo Maresca picked a full first XI was a little

Enzo Maresca was pleased with the Chelsea debuts of Liam Delap and Dario Essugo as his side opened their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over LAFC.

The topic came back to Delap later in the conversation, when an ESPN writer asked what Maresca had told Delap to try and persuade him to join – had he made promises about being first choice (hence getting the number 9 shirt usually reserved for the main striker of a team) or was he in a battle with Nicolas Jackson?

Enzo Maresca backed Liam Delap to be "England's future number nine" following his move to Chelsea. The Blues signed Delap from Ipswich Town for a reported £30m, with the striker signing a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca has openly admitted that his Chelsea side are targeting a winger this winter, an admission that could provide a boost to Manchester United’s transfer plans this summer.United are

Maresca isn't ruling out a "very difficult" Club World Cup opener against LAFC: "I'm never confident, I don't know if it's something good or something bad, but I think because of the technology today, any game can be difficult. They can watch many games about us, we can watch many games about them, so every game becomes very complicated."

Chelsea completed a £30m deal to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich earlier this summer and Blues boss Enzo Maresca has tipped the striker for big things during his time at Stamford Bridge