Chelsea vs. Barrow AFC, League Cup: Preview, crew info, Learn how to watch

For a second, I believed we might have the power so as to add a mannequin new establish to the itemizing of teams Chelsea have carried out in opposition to in our historic previous, presently standing correct spherical 200 (202 by one count). Alas, we already carried out Barrow AFC as quickly as, and exactly as quickly as sooner than, technique once more in 1948, inside the third spherical of the FA Cup. Chelsea acquired 5-0, in entrance of 44,336 spectators at Stamford Bridge — nonetheless crucial crowd to ever witness a Barrow AFC match. (And that acquired’t change as a result of the potential of the Bridge is barely smaller now ensuing from TV digicam positions and safety and accessibility choices and the like.)

The identical scoreline is unquestionably not out of the question this time spherical each, should the match play out as one may anticipate. In reality, uncommon points can and usually do happen in cup ties. We solely have to remember third-division Bradford AFC coming from two aims all the best way right down to beat José Mourinho’s title-winning Chelsea in 2015, 4-2, on the Bridge.

Barrow are one division lower than Bradford, nonetheless they’re foremost that division, which locations them on the extent of a Wrexham, with whom we drew 2-2 in preseason earlier this summer time season.

So primarily, you have bought take this severely, notably on the pitch.

Date / Time: Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 19.45 BST; 2:45pm EDT; 12:15am IST (subsequent day)
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Referee: Oliver Langford (on pitch) — no VAR on this spherical of the rivals
Forecast: Comfortably mild

On TV: Sky Sports activities actions+ (UK); none (USA); none (India); Startimes Sports activities actions Enviornment (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky Go (UK); Paramount+ (USA); FanCode (India); StarTimes

{Photograph} by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC by Getty Pictures

Chelsea crew info: Previous merely taking points severely, this match should current an vital likelihood to leisure and rotate, however as well as impress, and presumably even give some minutes to some youngsters (though there could also be an EFL Trophy match similtaneously successfully, moreover in opposition to fourth division opposition in Bromley FC).

Malo Gusto has been cleared for movement, though I’d hope he’s extraordinarily unlikely to even see the pitch on this one, to not point out get out on it. Reece James and Roméo Lavia keep out, with the latter getting very shut as successfully.

Enzo Maresca has already confirmed that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will start and that the likes of Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George will possible be inside the squad. Additional surprisingly, he’s moreover set to include Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell, with the latter’s reappearance from the deep dungeons of Cobham an notably welcome (and presumably even surprising, to an extent) enchancment.

Barrow AFC crew info: The Bluebirds had been primarily based 4 years sooner than Chelsea, in 1901, nonetheless have in no way carried out higher than the third tier inside the pyramid, spending a whole lot of the earlier half century in non-league soccer. They punched their ticket once more into the Soccer League in 2020, worthwhile the Nationwide League on a points-per-game basis after the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They presently lead the fourth division, as talked about on the excessive, worthwhile 5 of seven and shedding merely as quickly as inside the league thus far. As well as they beat Championship side Derby County on penalties inside the earlier spherical of this rivals. Forward Gerard Garner and defender Theo Vassell, a Stoke Metropolis Academy product, lead the crew in aims with three each. The supervisor is former Spurs and Birmingham Metropolis midfielder Stephen Clemence.

Beforehand: Our earlier match on this rivals was remaining 12 months’s final, which we misplaced in extra-time to Liverpool. So that’s nonetheless annoying. Fortuitously the 3-0 win over the weekend was the opposite of annoying.