Chelsea Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Liverpool

Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Liverpool image

Chelsea must beat Liverpool on Sunday to have a chance of getting into next season's Champions League, but remain outsiders after an underwhelming season. 

Tottenham and Liverpool are being chased by Antonio Conte's side, who realistically need to win all three of their remaining games and hope for a slip up from their rivals. 

Jurgen Klopp's men were beaten in their mid-week clash against Roma, but did enough to get into this season's Champions League final. If Chelsea beat Liverpool and win their game in hand against Huddersfield, they will go level on points with the Reds. However, they would almost certainly remain in fifth place on goal difference. 


Chelsea injuries


David Luiz remains out for Chelsea due to a knee injury, but he has recently started travelling with the team again and he is hoping to play some part in the final four games of the season. 

Danny Drinkwater has a calf strain and Ethan Ampadu remains out for the season with a broken ankle. Chelsea are thought to have no other fitness concerns ahead of their home match against Liverpool.


Chelsea suspensions


Chelsea will see Marcos Alonso return after he was suspended for for violent conduct. The Football Association (FA) took retrospective action for his high challenge on Shane Long three weeks ago. He has now served his three match ban. 


Chelsea potential starting line-up


Chelsea have looked to Emerson Palmieri rather than Davide Zappacosta to replace the suspended Alonso. However, Alonso will likely return despite some good performances from Emerson in recent weeks. 

Olivier Giroud has been picked ahead of Alvaro Morata in recent weeks and the duo will likely fight for their starting spots until the end of the season. 

Gary Cahill seems to have won out against Andreas Christensen in the centre of Chelsea's three man defence, after a run of recent good form, while the young Dane has dipped towards the end of the season. 

Conte has experimented with a new formation in the past three games and the 3-5-2 system has proved successful - with the Blues starting with it against Burnley and utilising it in the second half against the Saints at Wembley. They then started with it against Swansea last weekend. 

Chelsea may return to a more familiar 3-4-3 against what will prove to be a difficult opponent, in a game that could define their league season. 

Chelsea team news


Liverpool team news


Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out for the season for Liverpool after suffering a serious knee ligament injury. Emre Can, who is being strongly linked with Juventus, is out with a back injury. 

Joel Matip and Adam Lallana are both expected to be out with thigh injuries. Joe Gomez could return after missing the game with Roma due to an arm injury. 


TV channel & kick-off time


The match takes place at 16:30 GMT on Sunday and it will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports. 


Best Opta match facts


  • Chelsea are winless in their last six Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D3 L3). They last had a longer winless run against them in the top-flight between 1985 and 1990 (10 games).

  • Liverpool have won their last two Premier League games at Stamford Bridge – the only side to win three in a row away at the ground in the competition were Blackburn, between 1993-94 and 1995-96.

  • Jurgen Klopp has won both of his Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge so far – no opposing manager has ever won their first three visits in the competition.

  • Olivier Giroud hasn’t scored in any of his last six Premier League starts, with his last six goals in the competition coming as a substitute.

  • However, the Frenchman has scored four goals in his last five Premier League starts against Liverpool, though three of those goals have been at Anfield.

Nizaar Kinsella

Nizaar Kinsella Photo

Nizaar Kinsella is a Chelsea correspondent with experience covering international football at the World Cup and European Championships. He is a trusted voice within the Chelsea community, attending almost every game and having spent many years doing so. Coverage on Goal.com has seen him invited onto CNN, BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport and BeINSports to comment on the turbulent world of the Stamford Bridge club. He previously worked for the Daily Mirror and BBC Radio Manchester, as well as a period working in the UK charity sector.