Liverpool handed boost without kicking a ball as Chelsea suffers double blow

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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesChelsea FCThe Blues travel to Anfield on Saturday in the knowledge that they can no longer catch Arne Slot's side in the table, and they're also dealing with uncertain fitness situations with several playersRobert Sanchez suffered an injury(Image: Getty Images)Chelsea suffered a bruising Premier League loss to Nottingham Forest on Monday, which included two alarming injury updates.The Blues lost 3-1 at Stamford Bridge against a relegated-threatened side that made wholesale changes ahead of a Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa three days later.The result means managerless Chelsea can no longer finish in the top five, and a Champions League place can only be achieved if it finishes sixth and Villa ends the campaign in fifth and wins the Europa League. However, that concern seemed trivial when youngster Jesse Derry suffered a sickening head collision that required extensive on-field treatment.READ MORE: Liverpool injuries and return dates including Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, Alisson latestREAD MORE: Liverpool players raise eyebrows with activity days before Man Utd defeatDerry was taken to hospital, and thankfully, Chelsea later confirmed on social that he was "conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks."Remarkably, there was another worrying head collision later in the game involving goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White.

Again, no one was seriously hurt, but Sanchez had to make way for Filip Jorgensen in the second half.The Standard has since claimed Chelsea’s No. 1 goalkeeper will undergo concussion tests to determine his availability ahead of the trip to Anfield.Sanchez collided with Morgan Gibbs-White in the second half at Stamford Bridge(Image: Getty Images)There was further bad news for the Blues, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho both missing the Forest game due to minor injuries.“It’s nothing serious,” interim head coach Calum McFarlane revealed.

“They both took knocks in training, so we’re just managing that.”Meanwhile, Levi Colwill made his long-awaited return from a serious knee injury. The defender came off the bench at half-time to feature for the first time since last summer’s Club World Cup.“We thought it was the right time based on how we felt the second half was going to go – we felt that he could help us,” McFarlane said after the game.Colwill is likely to be involved on Saturday, while Reece James was an unused substitute against Forest and could play for the first time since mid-March when the Blues travel to Anfield.Jamie Gittens and Estevao are both absent through injury, and the only players definitely ruled out of the game.While Chelsea can no longer catch Liverpool in the table, it still has plenty to play for at Anfield as it looks to secure a sixth-place finish.As for the Reds, they need four more points this season to guarantee a top-five place, with three teams — Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton — able to catch Liverpool still.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Chelsea FCLiverpool FC