Enzo Maresca believes his young Chelsea side sent out a message with their 5-0 thrashing of Barrow in the EFL Cup on Tuesday. (More Football News)
Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick, netting twice in the first half befor♓e claiming the match ball with his 75th-minute effort.
Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman turned i💯nto his own net ju🎶st before the half-hour mark, with Pedro Neto getting Chelsea's fourth three minutes after the break.
It was just Chelsea's second win at Stamford Bridge under Maresca, af♓ter their victory over Servette in August, with the Italian making 11 changes to his line-up as he continues to rotate his squad.
His much-changed team dominated throughout though, hav𓆏ing 20 shots, with half of those on target, as they limited their League Two opponents to just five efforts and only one on target.
Maresca was particula♕rly impressed with how Chelse𒉰a rose to the challenge he set them prior to kick-off.
"Before the game,♏ I asked the players that even if they are the youngest team in the Premier League, to show how serious we are to me, but also to send a message that, yes, we are young, but we are serious and want to compete," Maresca said, as reported by BBC Sport.
Maresca made another no🔴table change at the break, with Ben Chilwell coming on to replace Malo Guꦍsto, who has recently returned from injury.
Chilwell was one of the players training away from the m♎ain squad at the start of Maresca's tenure, but he was unable to secure a move away from the club in t💟he transfer window.
The left-back struggled with injuries last season and was limited to just 21 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino.&๊nbsp;
Having reintegrated Chilwell ba🐈ck into the squad and handing him his first minutes since their FA Cℱup semi-final in April, Maresca was happy with what he saw from the England international.
"Very good. It was not easy for Chilly. He didn't get any minutes this season, but he has shown he is there, he is r✃ead💖y and working well," Maresca said.
"There is not any problem. If we🍒 have a chance, we will give him some more minutes."
