Chelsea vs Liverpool: How many injuries does each team actually have?

Cameron Smith

• 25 Feb 2024 14:18 GMT
• 5 min read

The 2024 Carabao Cup final takes place on Sunday, 25 February, with Chelsea facing Liverpool in a repeat of the 2022 final.

Jurgen Klopp’s side won on penalties on that occasion and they followed up Carabao Cup glory with another penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final just a few months later.

As a result, Mauricio Pochettino’s team will be seeking revenge at Wembley, with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager hoping to resurrect a fairly poor first campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Form suggests Liverpool head into the game as heavy favourites, while their 4-1 Premier League win over Chelsea in late January is further proof that Klopp’s side may be expected to win.

However, both teams are currently plagued by injuries and this could have a major impact on the game.

Chelsea have been forced to endure an injury crisis all season, while Liverpool have been dealt several crushing blows over the past few weeks.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through which players are missing from the Carabao Cup final through injury.

Chelsea injuries

Pochettino has been severely hamstrung by injuries this season and Chelsea are yet to have a fully fit squad in 2023-24. The Blues have frequently had over 10 players out injured at a time and they have eight players ruled out for the cup final.

Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, Romeo Lavia and Marc Cucurella, Carney Chukwuemeka and Thiago Silva are all absent at Wembley, with Pochettino unable to call on their services.

Fofana has not played a single minute after rupturing his ACL in pre-season, Lavia has made just one cameo appearance following his big-money summer move from Southampton, while club captain James has played just nine times this year.

Liverpool injuries

Liverpool have been dealt a kind hand with regards to injuries for most of this season, but things have come crashing down in recent weeks.

Of course, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic have been absent all season and Andrew Robertson missed several games during the festive period, however Klopp hasn’t been too impacted by players on the treatment table in 2023-24. Until now.

Diogo Jota was stretchered off during their win over Brentford with a serious knee injury, and Curtis Jones also suffered an injury in that game.

Alisson and Dominik Szoboszlai are missing at Wembley due to a hamstring issue, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out through a knee injury.

Joel Matip, Ben Doak and the aforementioned pair of Thiago and Bajcetic will also play no part in the final.

Perhaps most worryingly, both Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah have not been included in their matchday squad due to injury.

The 4-1 win over Brentford last Saturday saw Nunez withdrawn at half-time as a precaution. He did not feature at all in the win against Luton in midweek.

Mohamed Salah replaced the aforementioned Jota versus Brentford and despite notching a goal and an assist on his return from injury, he suffered a slight issue and he also missed the victory over Luton. Both players will not play in the final.

Chelsea vs Liverpool: How has more injuries?

There are eight Chelsea players who have not been included in their Carabao Cup final matchday squad due to injury, while there are 11 Liverpool players absent.

The importance of the injured players also varies.

James and Fofana are arguably the only two guaranteed starters who are missing for Chelsea, while Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Salah and Jones fall into this category for Liverpool.

Lavia and Badiashile can be considered 50/50 starters if fully fit for Chelsea, and Jota is the same for Liverpool, given the presence of Luis Diaz and Nunez.

As a result, Liverpool have been far more heavily impacted by injuries ahead of their showdown at Wembley.

Chelsea fully fit starting XI: Petrovic; James, Fofana, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher; Palmer, Jackson, Sterling.

Liverpool fully fit starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.