Maresca was asked about the fitness of Cole Palmer, who was taken off in the 21st minute of their previous game. Maresca stated that Palmer's injury is being monitored, and he is the only player who needs to be assessed at the moment. The other players are recovering from their previous game.

"Cole Palmer put in a huge effort to play the game despite not being 100% fit," Maresca said. "He wanted to help his teammates, but it was painful for him, so we decided to replace him. We will assess his condition day by day and decide what to do next."

Maresca also addressed comments made by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who criticized Chelsea's defensive efforts against United. Maresca stated that he doesn't mind criticism and that Chelsea has improved significantly over the past year, as evident from their progress in the league table.

The Italian head coach was also asked about the impact of fatigue on his team, as Chelsea is playing in every competition at the moment. Maresca attributed their recent performance to the red card received in the previous game, stating that it was difficult to play with 10 players for most of the match.

Maresca emphasized that he won't risk losing the game against Lincoln by fielding an academy side. He acknowledged that League One teams can cause problems, citing the example of Grimsby Town's performance against Manchester United.