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Chelsea injuries update as they look to end a dire run of six straight Premier League defeats
Chelsea’s abysmal run of form in the Premier League continued earlier this week, as the Blues slumped to a 3-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. The hosts were stunned by the visitors who raced into two-goal lead within just fifteen minutes, as some trademark sloppy defending once again proved to be their downfall.
The result leaves Chelsea ninth in the league table, with their sixth defeat in a row seeing their hopes of pushing for a top five finish ended. Thoughts will now turn to the club’s remaining four matches of the season - one of which is an FA Cup final against Manchester City, which is a huge opportunity to end a frustrating campaign on a high.
Next up, it’s a daunting trip to Anfield - a ground the Blues have won just once at in the league since 2014 - to face reigning Premier League champions Liverpool. The Reds managed to recover from their own wobble this season and now sit fourth in the table - they are likely to be tricky opposition for a Chelsea side bereft of confidence.
Chelsea injury news update
Robert Sanchez (head): A brutal clash of heads between the Spanish stopper and Forest’s Morgan Gibbs White saw Sanchez substituted with over twenty minutes of the match still to go. Whether he makes the Liverpool match is down to how he gets on with his regular concussion tests between now and the weekend. All being well, he should be fine to play. Expected return date: 9th May vs Liverpool.
Pedro Neto (unknown): Despite signing about fifty wingers over the past few seasons, Chelsea are suddenly looking short of them. Neto was a surprise absentee from Monday’s match, with interim boss Calum McFarlane describing his condition as “nothing serious” and merely a knock picked up in training. Expected return date: 9th May vs Liverpool.
Alejandro Garnacho (unknown): Like Neto, the Argentina international also missed the Blues’ last game with an unspecified knock picked up on the training ground. Perhaps they both suffered blows after becoming embroiled in a heated scrap over who has the least effective end product? Unless that knock develops into something more serous, he’ll be back in time for the weekend. Expected return date: 9th May vs Liverpool.
Reece James (hamstring): He was back in the squad for the first time since mid-March on Monday, after recovering from his latest hamstring setback. Having him fit and raring to go will be a huge boost for the Blues, and he could well get minutes for the Reds. He’ll also have one eye on featuring in this summer’s World Cup, you would imagine. Expected return date: 9th May vs Liverpool.
Estevao (hamstring): It’s not been the dazzling breakthrough campaign Blues fans had been hoping for from the wonderkid, who has had five separate spells with injury or sickness so far this season. He won’t play again in the 2026/27 campaign, and is now back in Brazil trying to get fit in time for the World Cup. Expected return date: pre-season training.
Can Chelsea still qualify for the Champions League?
Yes, Chelsea still can qualify for the Champions League, but it will certainly take some doing. Crucially, it’s also an outcome that is very much of their hands. Should Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish in fifth in the Premier League, then the English top tier would gain a sixth Champions League place via a European Performance Spot handed out by UEFA.
As things stand, Villa are fifth in the league and 1-0 down to Nottingham Forest in their two-leg Europa League semi-final, with the second leg taking place at Villa Park this week. Should Unai Emery’s side progress, they will then take on the winner of Freiburg and Braga in the final. The latter won their first leg 2-1 last week.
For Chelsea to finish sixth, they’ll need to make up the four-point gap that stands between them and Bournemouth, who currently hold the spot. McFarlane’s side will likely need to win all their remaining matches to have a realistic chance of doing that, given how tightly packed the table is. After Liverpool, they face Tottenham, and then Sunderland on the last day of the season.
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