For many, Thomas Tuchel’s complaints about Chelsea’s growing list of injuries contained a glaring omission.
After his side dropped two more points at home to Brighton, he insisted the very notion that the European champions might be expected to compete in a title race with Liverpool and Manchester City, given their current circumstances, was “stupid”.
Of the starting XI held to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, six also began the Champions League final back in May. Among the others are a £58m forward (Christian Pulisic) and a newly-acquired £97.5m striker (Romelu Lukaku).
That is not to say that Chelsea haven’t been dealt a poor hand. Their injury crisis worsened as Reece James and Andreas Christensen limped off, joining Thiago Silva, Timo Werner and Ben Chilwell in the list of likely absentees for the Liverpool game on 2 January.
Then there are the inevitable Covid cases: Lukaku, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner and Chilwell all tested positive on 16 December ahead of the draw with Everton. Two days later, with six confirmed cases, Chelsea had their request to postpone an away match at Wolves rejected by the Premier League.
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Tuchel has argued that there is a bigger picture here. N’Golo Kante has been required to play more minutes than has been medically advised, and risking further injury in doing so.
Without clear regulations on what constitutes a club being unable to field a squad, uncertainty breeds. Did it make sense that Crystal Palace asked not to play Tottenham on Boxing Day, only to make one change from their previous starting XI and field, for the most part, their strongest side? Why were Newcastle playing Manchester United on Monday evening if by Tuesday they were to announce that they would not be able to fulfil their Thursday night trip to Everton.
Tuchel is not alone in having to ride the wave of uncertainty, but he is in the unenviable position of facing Liverpool next.
“We have seven Covid cases,” he said after the Brighton game. “We have five or six players out for six or more weeks. How should we compete in a title race? Everyone else who has a full squad, everybody in training has the full power to come through this league.
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“We would be stupid to think we can do it out of Covid and injuries. Just play and everybody would be stupid to do it without 23 fit players.”
Here’s what we know about Chelsea’s confirmed injuries and Covid cases – as well as their expected return dates.
Chelsea’s injury list
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell is not expected to play again this season after rupturing his cruciate ligament but he confirmed on Twitter that he has successfully completed surgery. “Just wanted to let everyone know that the operation yesterday was successful,” he wrote. |I feel very positive and motivated to work like a beast to get back on the pitch with my boys soon and help this great club win more trophies.”
Reece James
James appeared to be clutching his hamstring as he left the field with less than half an hour on the clock against Brighton, replaced by Marcos Alonso. Chelsea are awaiting scans to determine the severity of his injury.
Andreas Christensen
Christensen, like James, had to be taken off against the Seagulls despite battling on until half-time. Tuchel confirmed he had suffered a back injury.
Thiago Silva
Christensen’s setback was particularly alarming with Silva already out with a hamstring problem sustained in the 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Loftus-Cheek has missed the last two games due to Covid but will have finished his isolation period two days before the Liverpool game.
Timo Werner
Werner is another player confirmed to have tested positive on 15 December and has now missed five games, though that has been mitigated somewhat by the return of Lukaku. Tuchel has said he is still “not good” and “not in training”.
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