90min

2 Chelsea starters suspended for Liverpool clash after bad-tempered Nottingham Forest game

  • Marc Cucurella & Wesley Fofana suspended for Liverpool game
  • Key Chelsea starters both booked again in Nottingham Forest draw
  • Enzo Maresca forced into changes for trip to Anfield

By Jamie Spencer

Enzo Maresca has lost half of his preferred back four
Enzo Maresca has lost half of his preferred back four / Clive Mason/GettyImages
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Chelsea defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana will both miss the club's next Premier League game due to suspensions picked up in Sunday's Nottingham Forest clash.

Enzo Maresca's Blues, who had won five in a row across all competitions until facing Forest and are still unbeaten in the league since an opening day defeat to Manchester City, are due to travel north to face Liverpool at Anfield in the first game after the international break.

But they will have to do so without half of Maresca's preferred back four.

The Italian coach has often opted for a unit of Malo Gusto, Fofana, Levi Colwill and Cucurella across the back, usually leaving the likes of Axel Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo on the bench for league games. Meanwhile, Benoit Badiashile's stock has continued to fall.

Yellow cards for Cucurella and Fofana against Forest have made them unavailable to face Liverpool, having to serve a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.

Cucurella was cautioned for his response to the incident which caused the late on-field melee, while Fofana was shown a yellow card for a foul in the 12th minute of stoppage time. Each has quickly now reached five yellows for the season, despite the campaign being just seven games old.

Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella was booked against Nottingham Forest / Chloe Knott - Danehouse/GettyImages

Cucurella has been booked for four Premier League games in a row, as well as in the August win over Wolves. For Fofana, it has been five successive league appearances with a yellow card. If either gets five more in the next 25 games, it would be a two-game ban. Ten more across the 31 games remaining games would result in a three-game suspension being applied.

Either Tosin or Disasi could feasibly replace Fofana in the centre of defence next to Colwill, with Renato Veiga potentially to be drafted into the team at left-back. The alternative would be to push Colwill over the left and use both Tosin and Disasi in the middle.

Cucurella and Fofana will be eligible to return by the time Chelsea are due to face Panathinaikos on the Conference League on 24 October. The Blues then have a double header against Newcastle United in the Premier League and Carabao Cup to round off the month.

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