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Chelsea vs Liverpool injury news as 9 ruled out and 4 doubts for Premier League clash

The Premier League always finds a way to bring drama, tension and pain into the lives of football supporters, and as Chelsea prepare to host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, the story is not just about tactics or league position, it is about the heavy weight of injuries that have fallen on both sides. This fixture, one of the classics of English football, already had enough fire to it, but now the build-up has been consumed by medical reports, recovery updates and speculation about who will be ready and who will be missing when the two sides meet. Chelsea have problems, Liverpool have problems, and the managers Enzo Maresca and Arne Slot are caught in the middle of a storm that could define their momentum heading into the next international break.

The news cycle has been relentless since both clubs played in Europe during the week. Chelsea found some relief by defeating Benfica in the Champions League, but their league form has been poor, with two defeats on the bounce leaving fans restless. Liverpool, on the other hand, were flying at the start of the season but suddenly their progress has been checked. A painful loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League was followed by another defeat in Istanbul against Galatasaray, and now the fear of a crisis looms if they suffer again at Stamford Bridge. And in the middle of all this, the growing list of absentees is shaping the game before a ball has even been kicked.

Liverpool’s issues have been well documented. Giovanni Leoni, the young defender who made such an impressive debut, saw his dream crushed in cruel fashion when he tore his ACL. For a teenager who had just arrived in a new country, playing in a new league, it is a heartbreak that words can barely describe. Surgery has been completed successfully, but the road to recovery will be long. Arne Slot admitted that the youngster is not in a good place right now, but he reminded everyone that Leoni has age on his side, and many years of football left after this painful setback. Still, for Liverpool it means one fewer defensive option at a time when depth is needed.

Then there is the story of Federico Chiesa. The Italian winger picked up a niggle during the game against Crystal Palace, and while he attempted to train, he was unable to complete the session. Slot explained that the player wanted to push himself but the risk was too high, and so he was left out of the squad that travelled to Turkey. Now the question is whether he can recover in time for Chelsea. His pace, his unpredictability, his eye for goal, all of these qualities could be decisive in a game of fine margins, but Liverpool cannot gamble recklessly with his fitness.

And the same fear hovers over Hugo Ekitike. The young forward who had been carrying Liverpool’s attacking spark in recent weeks was forced off against Galatasaray after feeling something in his leg. At first it did not look too serious, but as every fan knows, injuries that seem small can sometimes grow into big problems. Slot admitted afterwards that Ekitike told the staff he could not continue, and while the striker tried to downplay it, the difference between walking around and sprinting in a high-level match is massive. Liverpool are waiting, watching, hoping, because his presence could be the difference between victory and defeat at Stamford Bridge.

But perhaps the biggest cloud over Liverpool is the absence of Alisson Becker. The Brazilian goalkeeper, the rock of their defence and arguably the best in the world, went down in Istanbul after sprinting back to stop Victor Osimhen. The moment he sat on the turf and signalled that he could not continue, hearts sank. Giorgi Mamardashvili, the summer signing from Valencia, came on in his place, but Alisson’s influence is almost impossible to replace. Slot admitted with brutal honesty that when a player like Alisson sprints back, feels something, and cannot continue, it is almost always serious. He gave it 99.9 per cent that Alisson would not feature against Chelsea, but then corrected himself, admitting that in truth it was closer to 100 per cent. For Liverpool, this is a disaster.

Chelsea, though, have no reason to celebrate Liverpool’s pain because their own problems are even heavier. Nine players ruled out, four more considered doubtful, it is a nightmare that Enzo Maresca has had to live with since the start of the campaign. Every time it feels like one or two are returning, another name is added to the list. For a manager trying to stamp his identity on the squad, the injuries have been like handcuffs, limiting his options and forcing him to experiment with line-ups that lack stability.

Trevoh Chalobah will not play because of suspension after his red card in the last Premier League game. Liam Delap remains unavailable with a long-term problem that will keep him out for at least another month. Cole Palmer, perhaps Chelsea’s brightest creative spark in the last year, has been ruled out for a couple of weeks after the club decided to protect him from aggravating an injury. Maresca admitted they would rather rest him now than risk losing him for months. That decision makes sense in the long run, but in the short term it is a painful loss because Palmer is one of the few players who can turn a game with a single moment of magic.

Wesley Fofana is another case hanging in the balance. After suffering a concussion against Lincoln, he has missed the last two games and must pass strict concussion protocols before being allowed back. His absence weakens Chelsea’s defence, which has already been struggling for balance since Levi Colwill was ruled out for most of the season with his own ACL injury. Losing Colwill was a hammer blow. Maresca said openly that his importance to the team’s build-up play and defensive structure could not be underestimated, and now Chelsea are having to find new ways to play without him.

The problems continue with Tosin Adarabioyo, sidelined with a calf issue until after the international break, and Dario Essugo, who has undergone surgery and will be out for four months. These absences strip away depth in midfield and defence, leaving Maresca to juggle limited resources in one of the most important games of the season so far.

And then there is the extraordinary case of Mykhailo Mudryk. Suspended due to alleged doping violations, his situation is one that has not only weakened the squad on the pitch but has also created tension off it. The club cannot say much while the case is ongoing, but the absence of a player who was once seen as the future of the team is a reminder of how unpredictable football can be.

Andrey Santos is another doubt. The young Brazilian missed the Benfica game with what was described as a small problem, and while there is hope that he could be back for Liverpool, nothing is certain yet. Chelsea need bodies, but more importantly they need quality, and if Santos is still struggling then Maresca may have to turn to other options.

When you put all of this together, what you see is two teams preparing for battle but carrying heavy scars before the whistle even blows. For Liverpool, the main storylines are about whether Ekitike and Chiesa can recover in time and how Mamardashvili will cope on his Premier League debut. For Chelsea, the main storylines are about how to cover the huge number of absentees, how to protect a fragile backline, and how to create enough chances without Palmer pulling the strings.

This is not just a normal league game. It is a clash between two clubs with proud histories, two clubs who have often been the difference-makers in title races and cup finals, and two clubs who do not accept mediocrity. Stamford Bridge will be full, the atmosphere will be tense, and both sets of fans will know that excuses do not matter when the ball is rolling.

Arne Slot is under pressure to prove that his team can respond after back-to-back defeats. Enzo Maresca is under pressure to show that he can steady the ship after league struggles. Both managers know that injuries will not be accepted as excuses by the fans or the media. This is the Premier League, the most demanding league in the world, where even with half a squad missing, supporters expect victory.

The truth is, Saturday’s clash could come down to resilience, to who can adapt, to who can make the fewest mistakes. Liverpool’s attack has not been fluent in recent games, but the possible return of Ekitike could give them sharpness. Chelsea’s defence has been shaky, but if Fofana passes his tests, they may have a little more stability. Mamardashvili has a chance to announce himself on the biggest stage, but Stamford Bridge is not a kind place for debutants.

For fans, this game is already full of drama before it has even begun. Nine Chelsea players out, four more in doubt, Liverpool missing Alisson and worrying over Ekitike and Chiesa—it is chaos, it is brutal, it is football. And when the whistle blows, all that will matter is who can rise above the pain, who can fight through the struggle, and who can write the next chapter in this historic rivalry

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