(Football news) With a thrilling comeback victory over Boro 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, Chelsea advanced to their tenth showpiece event in this competition after defeating AFC Wimbledon, Brighton & Hove Albion, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, and most recently, Middlesbrough.
Chelsea is in high spirits heading into their EFL Cup match against Liverpool at Wembley, having won their last three games, including a commendable 1-1 draw away from Premier League leaders Manchester City the previous weekend. However, they will be missing several key senior players from that match.
Thiago Silva was injured in his groin during Chelsea’s encounter against Crystal Palace, therefore he was unable to play in the draw against Man City. The “minor injury” sustained by the 39-year-old defender will be evaluated prior to the match against Liverpool.
Despite having fully healed from a chronic knee ailment, Robert Sanchez was not considered fit to play against Manchester City last weekend. The goalie, nevertheless, might be able to rejoin the Liverpool matchday roster.
It’s unclear if midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka will be able to play on Sunday after twisting his ankle during training last week, which prevented him from playing in the draw against Man City.
The last two games have been missed by Benoit Badiashile due to a groin injury; the Frenchman is unlikely to play again until at least the middle of next month.
Due to a chronic knee ailment, Wesley Fofana has not played a single game for Chelsea this season. The defender is running out of time to make a comeback before the season ends.
It’s unclear if Chelsea captain Reece James will fully recover from his hamstring surgery by the end of the season. James had the procedure shortly before Christmas.
Romeo Lavia, who has only appeared as a substitute once since joining Chelsea in the summer, is still rehabilitating from a thigh injury that has prevented him from playing since the conclusion of the previous season. As of right now, there is no estimated time frame for when he might return.
Lesley Ugochukwu suffered a hamstring injury during the Christmas Eve match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and it is unclear when the midfield player would be able to play again for the first team.
Marc Cucurella last appeared for Chelsea in an early December away victory over Everton, where he suffered a surgically needed ankle injury. However, the left-back was seen last week working out lightly, and it’s believed that he plans to make a comeback sometime in the upcoming month.
