Chelsea are grappling with a growing injury list ahead of their pivotal Premier League encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night. Four key first-team players—Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez, and Romeo Lavia—are doubtful, posing significant challenges for head coach Enzo Maresca.
Maresca confirmed on Friday that Palmer, Colwill, Fernandez, and Lavia missed training following the midweek 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Palmer, who has contributed 14 goals and six assists this season, suffered an ankle injury in the first half after a tackle by Antoine Semenyo. Although he continued to play, he has not returned to training since. Colwill, a crucial defensive figure, also sustained a knock during the same match.
Fernandez and Lavia are both dealing with muscle fatigue. Lavia’s situation is particularly concerning as he only recently returned from a hamstring injury. Maresca stated,
"We were without Cole today, he was not in the session. Levi was also not in the session today, Enzo wasn’t in the session today, Romeo wasn’t in the session today. So we have three or four players who are doubts for Monday’s game because of the last game."Enzo Maresca
Defensive and midfield challenges
Chelsea’s defensive options are already limited due to injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile. If Colwill is unavailable, Maresca may turn to Trevoh Chalobah or Tosin Adarabioyo to partner with Josh Acheampong, who has been performing well recently.
In midfield, the potential absences of Fernandez and Lavia could lead to Moises Caicedo returning to the starting line-up. Renato Veiga, who has been linked with a move away from the club, might also be considered. At right-back, Malo Gusto or Reece James could feature depending on the tactical set-up.
Attacking options without Palmer
Palmer’s potential absence would leave Chelsea without a key attacking player. The 22-year-old has been a consistent presence since joining in 2023, missing only one league game this season. If he is unavailable, Maresca may look to Christopher Nkunku or Joao Felix to fill the No. 10 role. Nkunku, who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, has struggled for game time, while Felix has shown promising form in recent matches.
Chelsea are under pressure to end a five-game winless streak and reignite their campaign. Once seen as title contenders, they have fallen out of the top four and urgently need a victory against Wolves.
With up to eight first team players potentially unavailable, including Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Maresca faces a challenging task in assembling a competitive line-up. The match will test Chelsea’s squad depth and ability to respond under pressure.