Italy international Marco Palestra is tipped for his first competitive start for Chelsea against Liverpool on Wednesday, with pre-match reports saying the 21-year-old is likely to line up at wing-back in the EFL Cup fourth round at Anfield. The reported call-up would be a step up after three substitute appearances in the Premier League totalling 44 minutes.

A possible first start for Chelsea

Palestra arrived in London after a breakthrough 2025-26 season on loan at Cagliari, where he drew attention from several top clubs and won his first Italy caps. Chelsea then paid a reported €60 million package for the defender, who had also been linked with Inter over the summer.

His path into the team has been slowed by injury. Football Italia said Palestra was hurt in training in the week before Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Fulham and did not return until the September-October international break. He had been expected to start that league match in August before the setback.

That makes Wednesday’s cup tie a possible first chance to begin a game for the club. Heavy.com’s predicted Chelsea XI also included Palestra, underlining that the match at Anfield is being viewed as an opening for him to get minutes from the start.

Questions over whether he is ready for the league

The opportunity comes with scrutiny attached. Football Italia said some supporters on social media questioned Palestra’s Premier League readiness after his 25-minute appearance against Tottenham at the weekend, suggesting he looked short of pace after the injury and lacked the physical strength for English top-flight football.

The same report said Pedro Neto has been Chelsea’s regular right wing-back in Premier League matches so far this season, leaving Palestra with work to do before he can force his way into the first-choice XI. Wednesday’s cup fixture could give him a chance to make his first competitive start for the club.

Chelsea and Liverpool both bring absences

Chelsea go into the match without Cole Palmer, who is suspended, while João Pedro, Emiliano Martínez and Reece James are injured. Pep Chavarría, Emanuel Emegha and Jamie Gittens are listed as doubts.

Liverpool are also missing several players, including Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Dominik Szoboszlai. Their predicted lineup for the Anfield tie features several younger names, with both clubs carrying notable absences into the fourth round.