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Liverpool Echo

Why Chelsea will be without Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella for Liverpool match

Chelsea will be without Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella for Sunday afternoon's Premier League showdown against table-topping Liverpool at Anfield.

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Sport
Keifer MacDonald
19:00, 18 Oct 2024
Enzo Maresca on the touchline.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will be without two regular starters. (Image: 2024 Chelsea FC)

Chelsea will be without regular starters Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella for this weekend's showdown against Liverpool. The Reds return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon at Anfield - hosting Enzo Maresca's side in the eighth game of the campaign.

Arne Slot's side moved on top of the Premier League standings after the 1-0 win against Crystal Palace last time out, meaning September's defeat to Nottingham Forest remains the only blot on an otherwise perfect record for the Dutchman. They play after title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City this weekend.

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Liverpool's chances of maintaining that impressive start - at Anfield this weekend - will be boosted by Chelsea's inability to call on the services of Fofana and Cucurella after the duo picked up their fifth booking of the Premier League season against Nottingham Forest. In line with Premier League rules, players will be forced to serve a one-match suspension if they pick up five yellow cards.

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The cut-off for that suspension threat is 19 games. Meanwhile, players who pick up 10 bookings across the first 32 matches of the season will serve a two-match suspension.

However, such ill-discipline has not been a problem for Liverpool, so far this season, as no player in the squad has been cautioned more than twice. They do, though, have five players sitting on two yellows cards.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch have two bookings apiece to date this campaign. The same goes for Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo.

Despite their suspension woes, Chelsea are fighting fit on the injury front. Reece James is available for the Blues at Anfield after shaking off his latest hamstring problem, but the England man is unlikely to start the game.

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