Eight players could miss Liverpool vs Chelsea as Enzo Maresca faces anxious wait

will have to deal with some players on their side-lines when they meet Liverpool in what promises to be a mouth-watering showdown this weekend. side will travel to Anfield to take on the Merseyside club in the in their first fixture after the international break.

The will have at least three players unavailable for the clash against , two of whom will be through suspension. Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella will both serve one-match bans after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season in the draw with Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Reece James, though, on the side-lines with a hamstring injury. The Blues captain returned to training at Cobham on Monday - and could feature in the matchday squad against Liverpool.

Carney Chukwuemeka is expected to return after missing Chelsea's past two fixtures owing to illness. However, Omari Kellyman remains on the side-lines while he recovers from a hamstring injury.

For Liverpool, at least one player will be unavailable to face Chelsea. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is side-lined with a hamstring injury, meaning Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to start against the Blues.

Harvey Elliott is still recovering from his fractured foot, but has been spotted in training in recent days and could feature against Chelsea. Federico Chiesa is also a doubt with a fitness issue that has caused him to miss Liverpool's past two matches.

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Alexis Mac Allister could also be unavailable for the Merseyside club after dealing with a muscle issue since before the international break. The Argentina international missed his country's first fixture of the break against Venezuela amid concern, while it remains to be seen if he will be enough to feature for Liverpool against Chelsea.