Enzo Maresca and Chelsea are two games away from nightmare scenario with Man Utd and Arsenal risk

Chelsea will be missing Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana at Liverpool after the international break due to suspension

Enzo Maresca will be without two of his key players when Chelsea return to Premier League action following the second international break of the season. Unable to move to within two points of league leaders Liverpool on Sunday following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, the Blues' next game comes against Arne Slot's team at Anfield.

A game in which Maresca will need all of his players fit and firing, Chelsea will unfortunately have to do without both Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana through suspension. The duo will now serve one-match bans for picking up five yellow cards before the halfway stage of the season.

Seeing yellow five times in Chelsea's first seven games of the 2024/25 campaign, the duo could well pick up a large amount of cautions over the course of the season if they continue to receive them at their current rate. Speaking in his post-match press conference after the draw with Nottingham Forest, Maresca did mention that it is an area they need to work on, although he does love the fight he is seeing from his players.

"It’s something we need to improve but overall, I like the team the way they are fighting," said the 44-year-old. "I like the way they are becoming a team in these kinds of things. I don’t see any problems about that."

When pushed on the fact that he will be without two players for the game at Anfield, he said: "I know. But now we have international break, time to see how we can organise. The good news is they are all ready."

It wasn't only Cucurella and Fofana who received yellow cards against Nottingham Forest as a further four players also found themselves in the referee's notebook. It is now the second time this season that the Blues have received six or more yellow cards in a match and now they look set to receive a £50,000 fine after their previous £25,000 punishment following the win at Bournemouth last month.

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Due to the team's discipline issues in the first seven games of the season, it appears likely that a few more players will cop one-match bans for receiving five yellow cards before the cut-off point after the the 19th league game of the season. As things stand, Cole Palmer is currently next in line on three yellow cards, with the England ace receiving his latest one in the 75th minute against Forest.

Chelsea then have four players on four yellow cards. The quartet in question are Moises Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Nicolas Jackson and Pedro Neto. Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto, Joao Felix, Renato Veiga, Robert Sanchez and Jadon Sancho are all on one yellow card from the opening set of fixtures.

Given the importance of Palmer to the Chelsea team, Maresca ideally needs his main man to go on a run without receiving a booking as the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are on the calendar after facing Liverpool and Newcastle immediately after the international break.

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