Chelsea manager Maresca prefers if Chukwuemeka had departed

The midfielder was once again absent during yesterday's win against Brighton.

Maresca said, "I will say exactly the same thing I have said many times: Carney is a very good player, but for the amount of players we have, we decided at the beginning of the season it is probably better to leave and go somewhere, prove himself and playing 30 or 35 games than being here and play less games.

"Unfortunately that didn't happen. He is our player. He had some minutes the other day, today he was not involved.

"Hopefully we can give him more minutes."