Chelsea confirmed injury list against Liverpool
Chelsea will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in their next Premier League game
Chelsea head to Anfield with a depleted squad and fading European hopes. Manager Calum McFarlane confirmed a seven-man injury list ahead of Saturday’s trip to Liverpool, dealing a massive blow to a side already deep in crisis.
Estevao Willian suffered a hamstring injury against Manchester United last month and is ruled out for the rest of the season, with the Brazilian now racing to be fit for the World Cup. Adding to the frustration, academy star Jesse Derry won’t play this term again after a head clash against Forest saw him stretchered off and taken to the hospital.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez clashed heads with Morgan Gibbs-White during the Forest defeat and has been working through concussion protocols, though Chelsea hope he might be available. Meanwhile, wingers Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are still doubts after picking up knocks in training last Sunday, leaving McFarlane short on wide options, with Jamie Gittens also sidelined by a hamstring problem.
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On the plus side, Levi Colwill returned from his long ACL recovery with 45 minutes against Forest and is now pushing to start at Anfield. Reece James also returned to the squad against Forest after months out with a hamstring setback and is in contention to feature. Chelsea sit ninth in the table following six straight Premier League defeats and realistically need to win two of their three remaining games to keep their European hopes alive.
Can Chelsea’s injury-hit squad actually get a result at Anfield?
The truth is, probably not, but that doesn’t make the question any less important. Chelsea take a deeply flawed squad to Merseyside, one that lacks natural width, is missing its starting goalkeeper, and is reeling from a demoralising run of form. Joao Pedro scored a superb overhead kick against Forest even in defeat, refusing to let his level drop, and that kind of individual spark is Chelsea’s only real hope of an upset.
Cole Palmer has gone quiet at a critical moment, and a team that rely so much on one player can’t afford that. Losing Estevao, who still has enormous potential despite an injury-hit first season, robs Chelsea of their unpredictability. McFarlane’s claim that his players haven’t given up sounds sincere enough, but belief alone won’t end a six-game losing streak against the champions-elect.
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