Joao Pedro drops early Chelsea news hint as Enzo Maresca explains Estevao plan

Joao Pedro has dropped a team news hint ahead of Chelsea's clash against West Ham. The Hammers will host Enzo Maresca's side at the London Stadium on Friday night as they each look to pick up their first win of the new Premier League season.

Last weekend, Crystal Palace held the Blues to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, while Sunderland stormed past West Ham at the Stadium of Light. Chelsea will be looking to pile on the misery this evening, with the likes of Pedro, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap determined to get off the mark.

While the west Londoners may fancy their chances against West Ham, Graham Potter will be eager to get one over his former employer. Nevertheless, Pedro has posted a pre-match graphic preview of the Chelsea fixture to his Instagram story.

Historically, this suggests that the 23-year-old striker will be involved in some capacity. Enzo Fernandez, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jorrel Hato, Robert Sanchez, Dario Essugo and Moises Caicedo have also done the same, hinting that they too will start against the Hammers.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Maresca explained whether or not he thinks Pedro and Delap could play alongside each other. The Chelsea boss said: " I think Joao, with us, he can play the five positions at the front: the winger, wide or inside the pitch or behind the striker.

"I think he can play in all the positions. For sure, probably as a number nine or behind the striker is his best position, but he can play in all attacking positions for us."

On Estevao Willian, who impressed off the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend, Maresca said: "He is doing well, since he arrived with us. Even in the training sessions. But, for me, he needs a path.

"He is very young, so we have to be careful. He can be an option for tomorrow from the start, for sure, after the Palace performance. But we will see also after [Friday’s training] session, and then we will decide."

And, on what he expects from West Ham, Maresca added: "Tough game again. All the Premier League games, they are tough, they are difficult. If you remember the game at home last year was a difficult game for us.

"They defended very well. Tomorrow I expect exactly the same. And again, the Premier League just started, so you can see that they are trying to find some solution in the same way we are doing."

Maresca will be relying on the likes of Pedro to step up and fire Chelsea to victory. A few players have posted pre-match previews of the West Ham game to their Instagram stories, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will definitely start or, at the very least, play.

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