Speaking to the media in Germany ahead of our UEFA Conference League tie against Heidenheim, Maresca discussed Nkunku’s place in his plans.

The 27-year-old is our top scorer this season with 10 goals, six of which have come in European competition and often from a central striker’s role.

However, our head coach believes it is in another position that Nkunku plays his best football.

‘Probably the best moment from Christo for us was in pre-season,’ explained Maresca. ‘For me that was because he was playing in his position, which is as a No.10 behind the striker, between the lines.

‘Since we started the season, he is often playing as a nine for us. He also played the first Premier League game against Manchester City from the start as a winger, and we know that it’s not his best position.

‘We know that Christo’s best position is between the lines as a 10, but Cole [Palmer] is playing there, and we are not going to play many games with Cole and Christo, or with Cole and Joao [Felix].

‘We did it the other day, but you need balance and the Leicester plan won’t be the same as the Aston Villa plan. Or maybe it will, we don’t know, because now we are focused on this game against Heidenheim.’

That conundrum of finding the right balance for his side while factoring in the strengths and weaknesses of any given opponent is key when it comes time for Maresca to name his starting XI.

No matter how much he would like to unleash the full array of attacking talent at his disposal in the same game, he has to consider the implications at the other end of the pitch.

‘Christo is the same as I have mentioned many times about Joao. If you play with Cole, Joao, Christo, Noni [Madueke] and Jadon [Sancho], who is defending? Their skill and their strength is not defending, it is to attack. We love them but also we need balance.

‘They are all fantastic players, they are all going to play games no doubt, but not every game. The last game we tried with Joao and Cole together, hopefully soon we can try with Christo and Cole together, Christo and Joao together, because we have so many games.’

That applies to not just Nkunku and Joao Felix, but the whole of Maresca’s squad. With the busy Christmas run of fixtures fast approaching, the Chelsea head coach is confident that every player will get their chance to impress and show what they can do.

As evidence, he pointed to our last match, when he made several changes to the line-up for our 2-1 victory away at Leicester City on Saturday.

‘Joao Felix played the Premier League game the other day against Leicester and Christo for sure is going to play Premier League games. But we have many players, we try to share minutes with all of them. We have so many games, especially now in December.

‘In the last game against Leicester Joao Felix played, Enzo Fernandez played, Benoit Badiashile played. I’ve said since the start, for me there is not two squads, there is only one squad.

‘The ones who play in the Premier League can play in the Conference League and the ones who play in the Conference League can play in the Premier League. The proof was against Leicester.’