List of players facing injury concerns ahead of Chelsea vs. Liverpool Carabao Cup final

With Chelsea looking to secure a Carabao Cup final victory over their opponents for the second time in two seasons Liverpool, here is a list of players for the two sides who are currently facing injury concerns ahead of the game.

On Sunday afternoon, football fans around the world will be glued to their screens as Chelsea and Liverpool clash in the Carabao Cup final, marking the first major trophy up for grabs in the English domestic season. This highly-anticipated encounter will be a rematch of the 2022 final, which saw Liverpool emerge victorious in a thrilling 11-10 penalty shootout.

However, the memory of that game is tinged with controversy, as Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was brought on in the last minute of extra-time for the shootout, only to miss the decisive spot-kick with the score tied at 10-10.

Both teams will be eager to avoid a similar nail-biting finish this time around, especially considering the busy fixture lists that await them after the final. With crucial Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup games coming up, neither manager can afford to risk their key players in a grueling extra-time period or a lottery of penalties. However, injuries have hit both sides hard in recent weeks, leaving many of their star players doubtful for the final.

Here are the players who could miss the Caracbao finals fixture Chelsea vs Liverpool due to injury:

Chelsea

Reece James - thigh injury UNAVAILABLE

Thiago Silva - Groin injury DOUBTFUL

Marc Cucurella - Ankle injury UNAVAILABLE

Benoit Badiashile - Groin injury UNAVAILABLE

Wesley Fofana - ACL injury UNAVAILABLE

Carney Chukwuemeka - Ankle injury DOUBTFUL

Lesley Ugochukwu - Thigh injury UNAVAILABLE

Robert Sanchez - Knee injury DOUBTFUL

Romeo Lavia - Thigh injury UNAVAILABLE

Liverpool

Mohamed Salah - Fatigue, DOUBTFUL

Darwin Nunez - Unknown injury, DOUBTFUL

Trent Alexander-Arnold - Knee injury UNAVAILABLE

Alisson - Thigh injury UNAVAILABLE

Diogo Jota - Knee injury UNAVAILABLE

Dominik Szoboszlai - Hamstring injury UNAVAILABLE

Curtis Jones - Ankle injury UNAVAILABLE

Thiago - Hamstring injury UNAVAILABLE

Joel Matip - ACL injury UNAVAILABLE

Stefan Bajectic - Calf injury UNAVAILABLE

When is the Carabao Cup final?

The final of the Carabao Cup which will be Chelsea vs Liverpool will take place on Sunday, February 25, 2024.

What time is the kick-off of the Carabao Cup finals?

The match is scheduled to start at 4 pm. If the scores are tied after 90 minutes of play, an additional 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If the scores are still tied after the extra time, then a penalty shootout will be held to determine the winner.

Who is the referee in charge of the Carabao Cup finals?

Chris Kavanagh has been named as the referee for Saturday’s showpiece event at Wembley. Kavanagh will be assisted by James Mainwaring and Mark Scholes, with Tim Robinson named the fourth official and Wade Smith the reserve assistant referee.The match will involve the use of video assistant referees (VAR). The VAR official is John Brooks, and he will be supported by Marc Perry as the Assistant VAR.

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