Liverpool midfielder a doubt for Chelsea game

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Liverpool midfielder Conor Bradley is a doubt for the upcoming Premier League match against Chelsea, but he is expected to be included in the squad if his training progresses well. Liverpool manager Arne Slot revealed on the Friday before the game that Bradley, who missed the previous match due to a minor injury, will begin training with the team and if all goes well, he "will probably be in the squad." However, it remains uncertain whether he will start the match or not.

In addition to Bradley’s uncertain status, Joe Gomez remains sidelined due to a hamstring injury and will not be available for the Chelsea game, although he is edging closer to a return. Slot has expressed a desire to give more opportunities to fringe players in the coming matches.

The Liverpool squad is otherwise near full fitness heading into the contest at Stamford Bridge, with only these two players likely to miss out.

On the Chelsea side, injuries loom large with several key players unavailable. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the long-term absence of midfielder Andrey Santos, who will miss the match and will only return after the October international break. Fellow midfielder Dario Essugo is also sidelined with a thigh injury. Other notable absentees for Chelsea include Levi Colwill (long-term knee injury), Tosin Adarabioyo, and Wesley Fofana, both out until mid-October.

The game holds less significance for Liverpool, already confirmed as Premier League champions for the 2024-25 season, than for Chelsea, who aim to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League, a spot expanded to five places for English teams this season.

Overall, Liverpool face the match with minimal injury concerns compared to Chelsea’s growing injury list, which includes eight players ruled out, creating challenges for Maresca’s side.