Chelsea will take on Premier League leaders Liverpool this evening at Stamford Bridge, but manager Enzo Maresca faces a huge challenge as injuries have hit his squad hard.
The Blues will be without at least eight key players, including central defenders Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, and suspended Trevoh Chalobah. This means 19-year-olds Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato could be forced to start in central defence.
Midfielders Cole Palmer, Dario Essugo, and Andrey Santos are also unavailable, further limiting Maresca’s options.
Speaking ahead of the match, Maresca blamed the team’s injury troubles on fatigue following their Club World Cup campaign.
“We only had 20 days of rest after the tournament. That short recovery period may have contributed to the high number of injuries we are facing now,” he said.
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Despite the setback, the Chelsea boss expressed confidence in his young players and remained hopeful of getting a result against the league leaders.
“Liverpool are vulnerable but still dangerous,” Maresca said.
Liverpool, managed by Arne Slot, have suffered back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray but still sit at the top of the Premier League table. The Reds will be missing goalkeeper Alisson, but forwards Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are expected to lead their attack against Chelsea’s weakened defence.
Recent meetings between both teams have been closely contested. In their last five encounters, Chelsea have recorded one win, one draw, and three defeats, including a heavy 4–1 loss at Anfield.
Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is set for 5:30 PM. Chelsea will be hoping to overcome their injury crisis and put up a strong performance in front of their home fans.