Chelsea dealt suspension blow ahead of Liverpool clash amid injury woes for manager Enzo Maresca

Chelsea will be without another key player for next weekend’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge after a red card in their 3-1 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca revealed during the week that Cole Palmer would be out until after the international break, which means the key midfielder will not play a part against the Reds next weekend.

The Stamford Bridge outfit are already without the likes of Liam Delap and Levi Colwill for the visit of Liverpool and now will not be able to call upon Trevoh Chalobah after he was sent off against Brighton on Saturday.

The sending off came with the hosts 1-0 up through Endo Fernandez’s goal. Brighton scored in the 77th minute and then twice in stoppage time to take all three points from West London.

Why Trevoh Chalobah was sent off against Brighton

With Colwill out for the long-term with an ACL injury, Chalobah had played in all six of Chelsea’s Premier League games so far this term - even scoring two goals.

However, he was dismissed against Brighton after being judged to have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The sending off carries a one-game suspension and it will be served in the next domestic game, which is against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

The clash between the rivals kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday, October 4. The sending off leaves Maresca short of options in defence along with the injuries further up the pitch to the likes of Delap and Palmer.

After the game, Maresca said: “No, for sure you cannot continue to make mistakes, also because they are big mistakes in terms of game changes, the red card at Manchester United and the red card today. Then after that we tried to adjust a little bit with Josh Acheampong coming on, and he was ill over the last week.

“Josh, in that moment, our two central defenders were Josh and Jorrel [Hato], that both are for sure fantastic players, fantastic talents, but not so many games in the Premier League, so when you are with 10 players it's a moment that you have to manage the situation.”

Enzo Maresca frustrated by Brighton loss ahead of Liverpool visit

Many had tipped Chelsea to be among the challengers for the Premier League title this season but they are already seven points behind the Reds - even with Liverpool’s loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Reflecting on the loss to Brighton, Maresca said: “It's a tough one because we were in control of the game, we scored one, we scored more, we didn't concede nothing, they just said to me also in terms of data, we had so many shots in the first half, 70 per cent of possession, everything was fine.

“And then suddenly, because of our mistake, and then with the red card, again, the plan completely changed. So for me we played two games, first-half, and then unfortunately after the red card.”