James returned to action in Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Morecambe in the FA Cup. Maresca confirmed today our captain is available to play again when we take on Bournemouth tomorrow.

Since Maresca’s arrival in the summer, James has been deployed in several different positions, including left-back. However, the head coach is reticent to use James as an overlapping full-back, a position he has fulfilled in the past. At his media conference today, Maresca explained why.

‘Full-backs going up and down, physically you use more energy, but I’m not a fan of full-backs going up and down,’ stated Maresca.

‘Our full-backs - Malo, Reece, Cucu - we don’t use them up and down. The only one game we played with a proper full-back was Palace, where we didn’t use a full-back inverted for a reason, but I’m not a fan of a full-back up and down.'

‘Reece can play everywhere,’ continued Maresca, underlining the captain’s versatility.

‘Renato can play four or five positions, Reece can do the same, Cucu can do the same. I said since we started, talking about positions, today you have to be a football player who can play in different positions. You can’t say, 'I’m just a full-back, central defender, it’s not for me'.

‘They are all football players and you can teach them different positions.’

One member of the squad Maresca prefers to utilise in a consistent role is Palmer. The attacking midfielder has, aside from the opening day, always started the game in a central role with two wingers either side of him.

Last season, under Mauricio Pochettino, Palmer was often deployed on the right of a three behind Nicolas Jackson to allow James or Malo Gusto to overlap. Maresca was asked today if he could reprise that role to free up a spot in the team for Christopher Nkunku or Joao Felix.

‘We could, but you mention that with Cole playing wide, the full-back overlaps, but when the full-back overlapped, Cole was inside the pitch,’ Maresca replied.

‘It was the same position because the full-back didn’t overlap outside the pitch, so Cole moved inside for the full-back to overlap and then it’s the same position as with us.

‘It’s just the starting position. Then the ball moves, the game is dynamic, and Cole changes positions. With us, it could be an idea. He played the first game of the season against City wide right with Malo overlapping. He finished in the pocket, the same position, and I prefer to see Cole inside.’