Enzo Maresca's Alejandro Garnacho Chelsea call as new star is booed by own fans

Chelsea are looking to bounce back against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, following a 2-1 loss to Manchester United.

The Blues' away trip to Old Trafford got off to a disastrous start when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was shown a red card within the first five minutes for a last-man foul on Bryan Mbeumo. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro put United ahead with two goals in the first half, before the latter was also sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Andrey Santos.

Trevoh Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea in the 80th minute, but it wasn't enough to prevent defeat in Alejandro Garnacho's first game back at Old Trafford. Blues manager Enzo Maresca made some intriguing changes during the match - likely influenced by his goalkeeper's early dismissal - with the Argentinian not making an appearance against his former club.

Midfield sensation Cole Palmer was substituted early against United, with Maresca providing an update on the England international's fitness as he battles a groin problem. In other news, incoming Chelsea striker Emanuel Emegha received a lukewarm reception from Strasbourg fans after scoring the winning goal as captain at the weekend.

Despite celebrating his goal in front of the fans, many appeared unimpressed with his performance on the pitch. Here, Football London brings you all the latest news from Stamford Bridge.

Alejandro Garnacho U-turn at Old Trafford

Garnacho made his first return to Old Trafford since his £40million move to Chelsea in the summer, but he didn't make it off the bench. As Chelsea were hunting for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes, many would've expected the Argentinian winger to be brought on for his burst of speed and skill on the wings.

This was part of the plan, but despite receiving tactical instructions in the second half, Garnacho never made it onto the pitch. Maresca has confirmed that this decision to overlook the 21-year-old was due to the need to make substitutions elsewhere.

Speaking after the match, the Italian said: "Garnacho was ready to go, but then Wes [Fofana] asked for the change because he was tired after a long time so we decided to go for Malo [Gusto].

"But the idea was to give Garnacho minutes."

Garnacho's return to United was met with a hostile reception from the home fans. A chorus of boos echoed every time he appeared from the bench during warm-ups.

When asked if the poor atmosphere towards the youngster affected his decision to sub Garnacho on, Maresca dismissed this notion and remained firm in his initial answer. He said: "No, no, no.

"He was ready, I sent him for the warm up and he was ready but then Wes asked for the change so we decided to go with Malo."

Emegha snubbed by Strasbourg fans in return to pitch

Incoming Chelsea star Emanuel Emegha handled his own difficulties in a similar manner to Garnacho at the weekend, despite finding the net for Strasbourg on Sunday. The 22-year-old has secured a seven-year deal with the Blues, though he won't arrive at Stamford Bridge until 2026.

This arrangement means the Strasbourg skipper will stay with his present club, who operate under the same ownership as Chelsea, for the opening half of the French campaign. Nevertheless, this development hasn't been welcomed warmly by supporters, who have expressed their displeasure towards Emegha.

During the club's 1-0 victory over Le Havre last week, the forward was omitted from the starting XI, yet a banner still appeared in the stands criticising the player's Chelsea transfer. It read: "Emegha, pawn of BlueCo, after changing your shirt, give back your armband."

This resentment carried over into Strasbourg's 3-2 triumph against Paris FC, where Emegha capped his return to the pitch with a strike, which was later validated by VAR following an initial disallowance.

Throughout the celebrations, the 22-year-old sprinted towards the visiting supporters and displayed his jersey to them in a defiant gesture. While some fans applauded the goal, numerous spectators appeared distinctly unimpressed, which infuriated manager Liam Rosenior.

The 41-year-old said: "Emegha was devastated, and I was too. I am very disappointed by what I saw. Seeing banners against one of last season's best players is unacceptable."

According to L'Equipe, Emegha's transfer to Chelsea was accelerated due to UEFA regulations. Had both clubs found themselves competing in the same European tournament next season, the move would have been banned.

However, Strasbourg supporters appear not to be particularly concerned about the legal complexities surrounding the agreement.

Cole Palmer fitness update ahead of Carabao Cup tie

Maresca has provided an encouraging update on star player Cole Palmer before the club's Carabao Cup clash with Lincoln City. The midfielder was withdrawn against United, forming part of three changes within the opening 20 minutes following Sanchez's dismissal and Fernandes' strike for the Red Devils.

The England international had previously been troubled by a groin injury, with Maresca confirming that this concern is unlikely to require surgical intervention.

Speaking before the journey to face the League One outfit, he said: "The medical staff, they didn't mention to me about surgery until today. I don't know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don't think so, to be honest."

Nevertheless, Palmer is expected to be absent from the starting eleven against Lincoln during the week, and the manager can rotate several key figures as they face lower-division opposition.

The Blues have two challenging fixtures approaching in the Premier League and European competition. Brighton and Hove Albion will visit on Saturday, before former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho brings his Benfica squad to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League.

Palmer is likely to be eyeing these upcoming challenges, with other fringe stars being given chances in domestic cup matches as they appear.