Enzo Maresca reveals why he replaced Reece James at half-time of Chelsea's win over Burnley

Chelsea took all three points at Turf Moor despite a faltering start. Pedro Neto calmed the visitors nerves in the 38th minute, as he tucked home Jamie Gittens inviting cross with a diving header. As Burnley pushed forward for an equaliser in the dying embers, Enzo Fernandez doubled the lead when he powered  Marc Guiu's inviting pass beyond Martin Dubravka in the 88th minute. The win sees Chelsea jump into second place in the Premier League table, three points adrift of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.

Maresca was proud of the way his team competed over the full 90 minutes in tough circumstances. The early kick off following the international break forced the Italian into a number of switches, including the planned removal of captain James at the break. Talismanic midfielder Moises Caicedo was rested for the fixture, after he returned late from Ecuador duty. He was ably deputised by Andrey Santos. 

Speaking to TNT Sports, Maresca said: "I didn't like this kind of win, because it's tough. It's tough after the international break, 12:30, Burnley away, it's always a tough game. But the way we competed I am very happy.

"To come here and not concede is very difficult. It's normal to concede something. But overall they only had one real chance. During the game they didn't have any big chances and during the game we had loads of chances.

On Reece James coming off: "We planned 45 minutes for Reece James.

"It was very important to keep the momentum from before the international break. Now we'll recover our energy and are on to Tuesday."

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The former Leicester boss' inclination to protect his captain is understandable. James has often struggled with repeated hamstring injuries over the course of his career. Last term, he was missed 26 games for club and country, despite undergoing surgery in December 2023 to address the chronic issue. 

Gusto has emerged as a consistent performer in the England international's absence, appearing in 98 games for the Blues since joining from Lyon for a reported fee of €35m in the summer of 2023. 

Prior to the Burnley tie, Maresca suggested his decision to rest Caicedo was purely down to the player's late arrival in London after Ecuadors friendlies against Canada and New Zealand. However, his decision to limit James to just 45 minutes at Turf Moor suggests he has one eye on coming assignments. 

Chelsea host Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting Premier League leaders Arsenal on November 30. That starts a relentless run of back-to-back fixtures, with the Blues competing in both European and domestic competitions. Chelsea have eight games over December, including a Carabao Cup quarter final against Cardiff City to further congest their workload. Keeping their key men fit for that gauntlet could well dictate whether the west London club end the season with more silverware in their trophy cabinet. 

James, for his part, will hope to continue to prove his fitness as he looks to make Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup this summer.