Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says it is a “nice problem” to have two strikers in form after Christopher Nkunku’s hat-trick against Barrow, but doubts he can play him and Nicolas Jackson at the same time.

Nkunku, 26, scored three goals in a 5-0 win at home to the League Two side at Stamford Bridge in a comfortable Carabao Cup win.

But Nkunku has started just once in four league matches, with Jackson – who has scored four goals in four league games – currently favoured in the Premier League.

When asked about his attacking options, the Italian said: “They’re both doing fantastic. Not only because they score, but because they work off the ball. The way they sacrifice for the team. This is very important for them.

“This is a nice problem when you have two strikers that continue to score. It’s nice you can decide which one and because they are in a good moment we can use them.”

But when pressed whether it might be possible for them to soon start together, he added: “It could be. But the problem is the defensive balance.

“We can think to place with Nicolas, Christo, Joao [Felix], Cole Palmer, Noni [Madueke], fantastic! But then who is defending? Me and you?”

Pedro Neto also scored his first goal for Chelsea since his £54m move from Wolves and Joao Felix’s free-kick deflected off goalkeeper Paul Farman – as Mykhailo Mudryk also started – in a team which saw XI changes made from the 3-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.

Maresca added he is trying to spread minutes around his big squad after the match.

“If we have the chance we try to share minutes with all of them.

“Happy for Pedro, happy for Christo and for Joao, for all of them. They all deserve to play from the start in the Premier League but they are not playing in this moment. But the way they take the chances when we give them minutes is fantastic.”