Thibaut Courtois has warned his Chelsea team-mates can’t afford to “relax” in the Carabao Cup — even if it is not one of their top priorities.

Antonio Conte’s Premier League champions host Everton on Wednesday in a televised all-top flight last-16 tie that has taken on extra significance following opposite number Ronald Koeman’s sacking.

It is a tie boss Conte admits he could do without, with his already small squad further stretched by injuries to N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater and Victor Moses.

But goalkeeper Courtois said: “It’s a cup, and with any cup you want to win it. You want to go far.

The title race and Champions League come first but Courtois does want to lift the Carabao Cup, too (
Image:
Getty)

“With injuries, maybe we don’t have the possibility to rotate a lot. We will have to see what team the manager puts out, but I don’t think it’s a moment to relax.

“It’s a different kind of pressure than the Champions League, where we are doing well and we want to stay top of the group. In the Premier League, we have to fight to keep on winning games and the Carabao Cup is something else, so we must try to do our best and go far.”

Everton haven’t won in any competition for over a month, losing three and drawing two of their last five games — form that contributed to Koeman’s dismissal on Monday.

Courtois said the Merseysiders “have been struggling. I don’t think they are playing badly but they have conceded some sloppy goals, and other teams have had more luck, but the Premier League is hard.

“This is another competition, though, and they will be ready to win it.”

Youngsters Charly Musonda and Kenedy are both set to be handed another chance by Conte, after featuring from the start in the previous round against Nottingham Forest.

Conte said: “They are working very hard, they are improving and we can see the improvement against Everton which is a tough game. It is important for me, important for the club. We will do this.”

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