Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will miss Saturday’s trip to Manchester City after suffering a minor groin problem, and it remains unclear whether he will make next week’s EFL Cup final.
Silva was substituted in the second half of Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Monday, when a Conor Gallagher brace and a late Enzo Fernandez effort saw the Blues overturn a 1-0 deficit.
Mauricio Pochettino subsequently said Silva had “felt something” when stretching to block a shot around an hour into that game, and he will not be available to face the champions on Saturday.
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Perhaps of greater concern to Chelsea’s fans, however, will be the 39-year-old’s availability for next Sunday’s Wembley Stadium showpiece against Liverpool.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Pochettino said Chelsea must evaluate the Brazilian over the coming days, confirming: “Thiago has a minor issue, he is out for tomorrow.
“He’s unavailable. After this game we will assess him day-by-day.”
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Fellow defenders Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill are available after shaking off knocks, while Robert Sanchez could return between the sticks after missing around two months with a knee injury.
“Robert Sanchez is available, which is good news,” Pochettino said. “In football, you never know what will happen. For him to be available again is a good thing for the team.”
Asked whether Sanchez will return to the starting lineup after Djordje Petrovic impressed in his absence, Pochettino simply said: “You will see.”