Hazard to play in cup, Chelsea won’t appeal Luiz red

Ian Watson

Eden Hazard will start for Chelsea for the first time this season in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie with Nottingham Forest.

The Belgium playmaker suffered a broken ankle in June and has made three substitute appearances for the Blues in the last 10 days.

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte said: “For Eden now is the right moment to start the game and to try to play the whole game.”

Hazard recently said Conte improved him within a week of his appointment in a comment which many interpreted as a slight on Jose Mourinho, rather than praise for Chelsea’s Italian boss.

Conte wants all his players to improve and says Hazard can get even better.

“He can continue to improve a lot in his career and to become one of the best,” Conte said.

Conte is likely to rotate his options for the League Cup clash and has with some enforced absences.

David Luiz is suspended for the first of three games after his dismissal against Arsenal and will also be absent from the Premier League games with Stoke and Manchester City.

Chelsea will not appeal against the duration of the sanction, which was automatically three games when Luiz was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Arsenal’s Sead Kolasinac.

“It’s important to move on,” Conte said.

The Brazil defender will be eligible for the September 27 clash at Atletico Madrid, the back drop of which will focus on absent striker Diego Costa.

Costa is agitating for a return to Atletico, but Chelsea on Tuesday declined to comment on reports in Spain that a deal for the Brazil-born Spain striker was close.

Pedro is a major doubt with a leg injury, having played at the start of the season in a protective face mask and also recently recovered from an ankle injury.

Conte said: “This season is not lucky for Pedro.”

Two of the young players likely to be given an opportunity against Forest, perhaps from the start, are Kenedy and Charly Musonda.

Chelsea and Kenedy issued an apology for some ill-advised social media posts on China and his Blues career looked like it could be coming to an end when he was sent home from the pre-season tour to Asia.

“He knows very well what happened in China,” Conte added. “For sure he made a mistake, but I think everyone in life can make mistakes.

“Now he’s focused, he’s working very well. Now he’s ready to play and to show he deserves a space for the future.”

Musonda has “really good prospects”, added Conte, who may field the Belgian at wing back.

Despite the rotation, Chelsea are taking the competition and the opposition seriously.

Conte said: “Tomorrow is a good opportunity also to give a chance to some players that in this moment didn’t play a lot.

“(But) For sure we want to win, to try to go in the next round.

“I’m sure Nottingham Forest wants the same. It’s one of the most important clubs in England. We have great respect for them.”