Several important players for Chelsea are absent from Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The injuries have had a negative impact on the Blues’ defensive line.
Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping that seasoned Thiago Silva is fit.
Chelsea will play Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday in an attempt to avenge their season’s shortcomings by winning the Carabao Cup.
At the end of January, Mauricio Pochettino’s team suffered a crushing 4-1 loss at Anfield on a terrifying Merseyside evening to the Reds. But the Blues have improved since then, and a Wembley final might just bring out the best in a youthful and inexperienced team.
Although Liverpool’s injury situation has received a lot of attention in the run-up to this weekend’s final, Chelsea also have a number of health issues to deal with, particularly in the backline.
These Chelsea players won’t be playing in Sunday’s championship match against Liverpool.
Goalie and defense
Although a number of injuries have befallen Chelsea’s backline, Pochettino has good news about the goalkeeping position. After a prolonged period of inactivity, Robert Sanchez is back to full strength; nevertheless, considering Djordje Petrovic’s stellar performance for the squad, it appears likely that he will start this weekend.
Chelsea is missing a number of important players at the full-back positions, most notably captain Reece James. The injury-prone defender is currently recovering from a serious hamstring injury he sustained against Everton in December. In his place, Malo Gusto will play against Liverpool.
Despite being close to rejoining the club, Marc Cucurella is also missing from the left side of defense, and Wesley Fofana is still recovering from an ACL injury sustained back in July.
Benoit Badiashile will miss Sunday’s matchup after limping off against Aston Villa in the FA Cup at the beginning of February. Thiago Silva, the seasoned center back, is also a serious doubt. Pochettino has, however, hinted that, contingent on the outcome of a late fitness test, the Brazilian might have some role in the championship game.
midfield players
Carney Chukwuemeka has had a bad season due to injuries, and he now faces yet another layoff following a recent ankle injury sustained in training. He has not specified when he will return, but he will be absent on Sunday.
Romeo Lavia has only played a small amount of minutes for Chelsea since joining for a £58 million transfer, and he has had similar injury luck this season. Due to a thigh issue, he will miss Sunday’s matchup with his other suitors from the summer transfer window.
The young Lesley Ugochukwu is the other midfield player missing for the Blues. The Frenchman will not play in his first Chelsea final after suffering a hamstring injury on Christmas Eve.
Moving Forward
If there are no late or undetected injuries, Pochettino’s plethora of offensive options are accessible on Sunday, which is good news. In the final third, the Argentine has a lot of decisions to make about who will start, but Cole Palmer, who is playing well, will undoubtedly be in the starting lineup.
After scoring against his other former team, Manchester City, last time out, Raheem Sterling will again have the opportunity to get one over on his old employers. Nicolas Jackson, who could play on the left flank or through the middle, also looked good in the match at the Etihad.
Chelsea players not present for the Carabao Cup final
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