'Has just happened' - Chelsea sweating on two more players ahead of Liverpool clash

Chelsea are sweating on two more players to be back fit for their clash against Liverpool.

The Reds will head to Stamford Bridge on Sunday having already celebrated winning the Premier League title. The pressure is very much off Arne Slot's side, although the head coach will still want the high standards set throughout the season to remain. Liverpool have the chance of reaching 94 points in their remaining four matches.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are pursuing Champions League qualification. The Stamford Bridge side are fifth in the table and have a battle on their hands to book their spot in Europe's elite club competition.

Chelsea first have a Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against Djurgardens on Thursday night. However, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has not travelled to Sweden, while forward Christopher Nkunku has been left in London.

Head coach Enzo Maresca explained via the club's website: “Robert has a small problem after a knock against Everton and Christo had something similar in our session.” When asked further about Nkunku, Maresca added: 'It has just happened so we will have more news probably on Friday when we are back.”

Although Chelsea are heading into the Europa Conference League semi-final, the clash against Liverpool could be regarded as more important. Champions League qualification is imperative for the Stamford Bridge side given the revenue that it would land the club.

Maresca was asked how his players will focus on facing Swedish club Djugardens and not have one eye on the Reds. Via Football.London, he replied: "First of all, I think we are trying to build a mentality, a winner mentality. So, for me, you build that taking every game, no matter who is the other player, and try to win every game. It's the only way to build a winner mentality. You cannot build a winner mentality if you don't win games.

"At the end, it's a matter of winning games. So, the players, they are aware that tomorrow is an important game, but they also are aware that the next one is also important. But we have, in terms of Premier League, we have four games. All of them, all of them, they're going to be very important. But we need to go game by game. So, now it's tomorrow, and after tomorrow, we're going to be focused on Liverpool, and the players, they're going to be focused on that, for sure."

As things stand, Chelsea will already be without Wesley Fofana, Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman through injury, while Mykhailo Mudryk is provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance while on international duty with Ukraine last year.

Liverpool were captured being put back through their paces at the AXA Training Centre after being given a few days off to celebrate their title success. The Reds will head to the capital without versatile defender Joe Gomez, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Conor Bradley missed out on the 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur which secured the English championship because of a knock and could be back.