Andreas Christensen using Chelsea’s EFL Cup clash with Liverpool to get career back on track

The EFL Cup may not be top of Maurizio Sarri’s priorities this week but Andreas Christensen knows it represents another opportunity to help get his Chelsea career back on track.

Christensen’s inclusion is expected to be one of a number of changes Sarri makes for the third-round tie at Liverpool tonight.

The Denmark international is getting a start only because other defenders are getting a rest ahead of what is considered a more crucial match against Jurgen Klopp’s side, in the Premier League, on Saturday.

Chelsea’s new coach used the same rationale when selecting the 22-year-old for the first time in the Europa League last Thursday, with his team facing West Ham three days later.

Being relegated to the role of back-up is not what the centre-half envisaged back in January, when he signed a new contract. But things have gone awry for Christensen since then. It began with a dip in form which cost him a place in the FA Cup-winning side in May.

Chelsea’s decision to replace Antonio Conte with Sarri has led to a significant change of tactics. The Blues now use just two centre-halves rather than three and David Luiz, who is fit again after a knee injury, has leapfrogged above Christensen in the pecking order.

Luiz is out of contract in the summer, which may give Christensen a source of encouragement, but Sarri wanted to buy a centre-back in the last transfer window and will surely try again.

Christensen, therefore, needs to make the most of every appearance he gets to make a positive impression on Sarri. He said: “If I get a chance to face Liverpool, I have to take it — like I did last week in the Europa League.

“Now that I have got some of the rust out of the way by playing against PAOK, I hope to play as many minutes as I can.

“There could be a lot more games coming up if we go through against Liverpool as well as the Europa League. I hope I will have more of a chance to show the manager what I’m capable of.”

His ability on the ball and relaxed defensive style looked perfect in the middle of three centre-backs but it appears Sarri does not trust him in a defensive pair.

“It doesn’t make much of a difference to me and my game,” Christensen said. “I have been training with it and feel comfortable with it. Once you get used to it, it’s just as easy to accomplish great results.”

If he plays tonight, Christensen could face former Chelsea team-mate Dominic Solanke, who joined Liverpool last year in order to play more football but he has yet to feature this season.

“He is a great player and we were all sorry when he left Chelsea,” Christensen said. “It’s always sad to see a young player leave us. But I hope we get a chance to play against each other.

“What makes him so hard to mark? He has good movement, he knows when to run in behind and when to drop off. He is also clinical with goal-scoring chances.”

Cesc Fabregas, Davide Zappacosta, Emerson, Victor Moses, Ethan Ampadu, Willy Caballero and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also in contention to feature for Chelsea this evening.

Liverpool have won all seven of their fixtures so far this season and have the benefit of playing the cup tie at home.

“Maybe you are intimidated a little bit at Anfield,” Christensen said. “But I will enjoy it because it’s a special place. If we beat them it can have an impact on Saturday’s League game.”