Chelsea face injury crisis ahead of Carabao Cup final against Liverpool

Liverpool will take on Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday with both teams reeling from extensive injury lists.

The Reds lost Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota to first-half injuries during the 4-1 Premier League win against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

The signs are not good with the pair set to miss the Wembley showpiece, while reports in Portugal suggest that Jota could be on the sidelines for around two months.

Alisson Becker missed the Brentford game with a hamstring injury and there are concerns that he could be out beyond the March international break.

They join other absentees like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Thiago in the treatment room.

Meanwhile, the Reds are sweating on the fitness of goalscorer Darwin Nunez, who was taken off in London on Saturday with his substitution being reported as due to a muscle problem.

Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak, meanwhile, remain long-term absentees.

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Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is dealing with his own sizeable casualty list ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.

The Blues have managed to realign their season in recent weeks with wins against Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, as well as the weekend’s 1-1 draw at the Etihad against Manchester City.

But it’s come at a cost with the west London side’s injury list extending in recent matches.

Football – 2023 / 2024 Premier League – Liverpool vs Chelsea – Anfield – Wednesday 31st January 2024 Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Diogo Jota of Liverpool PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK

Carney Chukuwuemeka was reported to have twisted his ankle in the days before the City game and he didn’t feature in Manchester. He missed a huge chunk of the season with a knee injury before returning to the lineup in the new year. It remains to be seen whether his ankle knock is long term or if he can return this weekend for the cup match.

39-year-old old defender Thiago Silva was in the starting line-up for the game against Palace, having played only nine minutes from the bench against Villa, but was struck down by a groin injury which ruled him out of the game at City. It is touch-and-go whether the Brazilian will be fit for Wembley.

Fellow centre-back Benoit Badiashile suffered a groin injury in the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Villa and has been ruled out for around a month, spelling the end of his hopes of playing in the final.

Former Liverpool target Romeo Lavia, who was hailed as a summer transfer coup, has been restricted to just one appearance since his £58m move from Southampton. He was injured just after he signed, with an ankle problem, and lasted only 32 minutes against Palace on December 27 before a thigh issue struck him down. Pochettino has already ruled him out of the cup final.

Lesley Ugochukwu last played for the Blues against Wolves on Christmas Eve in a game that marked his return from injury. Like Lavia, however, his comeback didn’t last long. He was hit with a recurrence of his hamstring problem with it being reported he was set for another six weeks on the sidelines. The 19-year-old, signed from Rennes last summer, has not been sighted in the first team since.

Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Chelsea FC LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Wednesday, January 31, 2024: Liverpool s manager Jürgen Klopp L and Chelsea s Mauricio Pochettino R during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda LIVERPOOL Anfield MERSEYSIDE ENGLAND PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2024-01-31-Liverpool_Chelsea-15

Club captain Reece James, meanwhile, remains on the sidelines having undergone surgery two months ago on a troublesome hamstring following the Everton game on December 10 and the right back is not expected back any time soon.

Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella also underwent surgery, on an ankle problem, after Chelsea played against Everton in December. He is reported to have begun training at Chelsea’s Cobham base but a return to the first team still looks a way off.

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is another player who hasn’t featured since that ill-fated Everton game, lasting 84 minutes before being hit with a knee injury. Djordje Petrovic has deputised in the Chelsea goal since then. Although Sanchez was fit for the City game last week, he was kept out of the squad with a personal issue but could well be handed the gloves for the final.

Wesley Fofana has not kicked a ball for Chelsea this season nor is he expected to. The centre-back had surgery on a devastating ACL injury last summer and won’t return until next season at the earliest. He is a player with horrible injury luck having missed almost the full 2021-22 season with a broken leg while at Leicester. Chelsea are yet to see the best of their £75m signing.

Caoimhin Kelleher, Liverpool

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