Bruno Saltor answers Chelsea line-up question as Raheem Sterling could face injury-blighted Liverpool

Temporary Chelsea boss Bruno Saltor could ring changes after defeat to Aston Villa with Raheem Sterling set to make his return from injury.
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Chelsea and Liverpool will both be hoping for a midweek boost at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night after a dramatic Premier League weekend.

Liverpool were on the end of a 4-1 drubbing from Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium as Jurgen Klopp's men saw their Champions League hopes suffer another blow.

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Meanwhile, a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa proved the final nail in the Graham Potter coffin as the manager was sacked by Chelsea.

Bruno Saltor has been appointed as interim head coach as The Blues once again search for a new manager and will lead the side against Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Chelsea team news

It could be a new-look XI if Saltor chooses to ring the changes but the clash will still come too soon for centre-back Thiago Silva.

Silva is in the final stages of his recovery from an injury but isn't expected back for a fortnight with the visit of Brighton earmarked as a potential return date.

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César Azpilicueta and Armando Broja will also miss out as they nurse long-term injuries.

Raheem Sterling could return for Chelsea against Liverpool (Image: Getty Images) Raheem Sterling could return for Chelsea against Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)
Raheem Sterling could return for Chelsea against Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)

Graham Potter had hinted that the Villa fixture may have come too soon for Raheem Sterling and his hamstring niggle but did point to Liverpool as the moment for a return - "he's got more of a chance," Potter said about Tuesday. A spot on the bench seems likely.

It seems a similar story for Wesley Fofana who missed the match on Saturday thanks to a hamstring injury that scuppered his first France call-up over the international break.

Fofana has been back in training and is another that could be named in the squad for the meeting with Liverpool.

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Should Saltor fancy a change between the sticks, Édouard Mendy should be fit to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga, although he was tight-lipped on any line-up news.

The temporary Chelsea boss said: “I don’ have to give any [line-up] clues to Liverpool but as you saw in the [Aston Villa] game, I thought we dominated the game. We lost the game and there were a few mistakes but overall it was a good performance, we had a lot of chances and we are going to try to keep as close as we can.”

Liverpool team news

For Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp's injury woes come in midfield as Chelsea's fellow Champions League chasers travel to the capital.

Luis Diaz. Picture: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesLuis Diaz. Picture: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Luis Diaz. Picture: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Luis Diaz has recovered from a long-term knee injury and is training again but still lacks match fitness and is set to miss out. It's also too soon for Thiago who is working his way back from a hip injury.

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Naby Keita suffered a muscle injury while on international duty for Guinea last month and is facing a long spell on the sidelines alongside Stefan Bajcetic.

While Klopp may be short of options in the centre of the park, he had confirmed that changes to his side would be made after defeat to the Champions.

He said: "Games like this have an impact, you might lose even more confidence but the desire to show a reaction is there as well.

“The boys want to show a reaction, but the short turnaround is the problem. In this moment I have no clue who I can line up, because I get this information after the press conference.

“We want to wait with these decisions as long as possible and give the boys as much time to recover. There will be changes, definitely, there have to be and we have to use them.”