Chelsea dealt blow as 2 key stars suspended for Boxing Day clash against Crystal Palace

Modified Dec 24, 2023 20:13 GMT

Chelsea will be without the pair of Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer for their Premier League clash at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday (December 27).

Both attackers picked up yellow cards in the 2-1 league defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday and will miss the next game due to yellow card accumulation (five yellows for the season).

With the Blues falling behind to Marino Lemina's 51st-minute opener, Sterling received a yellow card for simulation as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. Meanwhile, Palmer will miss the Palace game after picking up his fifth yellow of the season.

In the duo's absence, Mykhailo Murdryk, Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku could be in contention to start the midweek game.

Coming back to the Wolves games, Matt Doherty made it 2-0 for the hosts in the third minute of stoppage time. Nkunku, who was making his Premier League debut, struck three minutes later, but it was too little too late, as the Blues slumped to their eighth league loss of the season,

Mauricio Pochettino's side remain tenth in the standings, ahead of Wolves and Bournemouth on goal difference.

"We feel very disappointed because we deserved much more" - Chelsea boss after Wolves defeat

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino knows that his team have a lot of work to do to return to being one of the Premier League big boys.

Their loss on Sunday was their 19th in the league in 2023, the most in the English top-flight, and only behind Werder Bremen (20), Empoli (20) and Almeria (24) in Europe's top-five leagues.

Pochettino told the BBC that he rues his team's lack of clinicality in front of goal and vulnerability in set-pieces, elaborating:

"We feel very disappointed because I think we deserve much more. This competition wounds you when you are not clinical enough. We created chances, that is why it is so disappointing. We conceded after a few corners and it was really difficult.

"We have players playing for the first time in the league. Tey need to adapt. It is confidence and about quality. We need to score if we want to win the games."

The win marked Wolves' first in consecutive league games against Chelsea in neaarly five decades.