Levi Colwill is striving to be available for the upcoming match against Liverpool, having missed Chelsea training on Monday.
The 20-year-old defender needs to successfully complete Tuesday’s training without any setbacks to be included in the squad for the Anfield encounter on Wednesday.
Colwill sat out Friday’s FA Cup draw against Aston Villa due to tightness in his hamstring during the warm-up, but Chelsea is optimistic that the injury is minor. Mauricio Pochettino is eager to have the talented English defender back in the lineup against Liverpool, but Colwill’s absence from Monday’s training session adds uncertainty.
Should Colwill not be available, potential replacements include Benoit Badiashile at center-back and Ben Chilwell at left-back. Chilwell, who recently returned after a four-month absence, is poised to make his first Premier League start since September. His fitness progress, after being a substitute against Villa, suggests he may be ready for the challenging fixture against Liverpool.
In the event that Colwill is unable to face Liverpool, Chelsea expects him to be fit for the subsequent match against Wolves on Sunday. Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku and Trevoh Chalobah are back in training, possibly making them available for the bench at Anfield. Given their past fitness concerns, a cautious approach will be taken in their reintroduction.
The positive news on the training ground includes goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s return after a knee injury sustained in early September. Although he remains sidelined for the Liverpool clash, his presence in training indicates progress in his ongoing recovery.
Unfortunately, several key players, including Malo Gusto, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Wesley Fofana, are unavailable for selection. This adds to the challenges Chelsea faces in navigating a demanding period of fixtures.