Chelsea injury latest and expected returns including James and Thiago Silva

Thomas Tuchel has once again been hit with a flurry of injuries to his squad as Chelsea prepare to take on title rivals Liverpool on Sunday

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“Stupid to think Chelsea in title race”: Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea prepare to take on title rivals Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday ahead of a huge clash at the top of the Premier League.

The Blues are coming off the back of another disappointing result following their 1-1 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, courtesy of a last minute Danny Welbeck equaliser.

Three draws in their last five games still leaves them in second place, but they are already eight points behind league leaders Manchester City.

And to make matters worse from that disappointing draw, Thomas Tuchel was dealt further injury blows to add to his growing list, while Covid-19 is also keeping a number of other players out of action.

Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Stamford Bridge and the potential return dates for those out injured.

Have Chelsea already blown their title chances this season? Have your say in the comments section below.

Reece James

Thomas Tuchel probably couldn’t believe his luck when Reece James limped off just 27 minutes into Wednesday’s contest with Brighton, as the defender was suffering from hamstring trouble.

The extent of the injury is currently unknown, yet the youngster was left on crutches by the end of the night.

It is expected that James will miss out against Liverpool on Sunday, but the main worry for Tuchel is for how much longer after that.

Andreas Christensen

Centre back Andreas Christensen was the second casualty of the night on Wednesday and also had to be removed from the pitch early due to injury.

The Danish international was struggling with back problems during the first half and was eventually replaced at the half time interval, further stretching Tuchel’s resources in defence.

Christensen will continue to be assessed ahead of the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s side on Sunday, but it can be expected that a late call on his involvement could be made.

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva missed out in midweek due to hamstring problems he sustained against Aston Villa on Boxing Day, leading to the centre half lasting just 52 minutes in that 3-1 victory.

Tuchel had hoped that the Brazillian was removed before it became an actual injury, so there is optimism he could have avoided the problem early on, yet whether he will recover in time for the visit of Liverpool is unclear.

Speaking after the Villa game, Tuchel said: “Thiago came off with hamstrings, hopefully he went out before it became an injury.”

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek continues his recovery from an ankle injury he sustained before Christmas, meaning that he hasn’t featured since the draw with Everton on December 16.

Tuchel had revealed that Loftus-Cheek was “in pain” but the severity of the injury is unknown and so is his expected return date.

The Blues manager was also unsure as to whether the 25-year-old could feature against Villa on Boxing Day, however, which could mean that the injury may not keep him out for much longer.

Timo Werner

German striker Timo Werner had recently tested positive for Covid-19 but has yet to return to training as he attempts to recover from illness.

Tuchel said things were “not good” with the 25-year-old, which suggests that he will most likely miss out against Liverpool too.

Should Werner return to training ahead of Sunday’s game, it will most likely take a late fitness test to determine whether or not he can feature in the matchday squad.

Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell had been out since November’s Champions League clash with Juventus after picking up an ACL injury, yet the extent was currently unknown at the time.

However, it was recently revealed that because the injury failed to heal naturally, Chilwell now requires surgery, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

The England left back had also tested positive for Covid-19, to make matters worse.