Chelsea will be left searching for solutions in midfield after Moises Caicedo was sent off against Arsenal.
The Blues’ reigning Player of the Season received an initial yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Mikel Merino during the first half of Sunday’s feisty 1-1 Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge, only for referee Anthony Taylor to overturn his own decision and produce a red following a VAR review.
It left Chelsea needing to play for more than 50 minutes against the top-flight leaders with 10 men, though they actually took the lead through Trevoh Chalobah’s header after the break before Merino equalised to ensure the points were shared.
Caicedo will now serve a three-match domestic suspension after being dismissed for serious foul play, his first red card for Chelsea in any competition and first in 130 Premier League appearances for the Blues and Brighton.
He will miss Wednesday’s trip to struggling Leeds and the clash with Bournemouth on December 6, plus the visit of Everton to west London on December 13.
Caicedo can play in the Champions League against Atalanta on December 9, though he won’t be eligible for domestic action until the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie away at third-tier Cardiff on December 16.
There was good news for Chelsea against Arsenal however as captain Reece James excelled in the middle and Cole Palmer returned to the matchday squad for the first time since September after recovering from groin and toe injuries, though he was an unused substitute.
Here is all the latest Chelsea injury news and return dates ahead of their midweek trip to Elland Road.
Romeo Lavia
Romeo Lavia has been beset by injury issues during his time at Chelsea so far, making only 29 appearances since moving from Southampton in a £53million transfer in the summer of 2023.
He had looked to get into a rhythm at the start of this season and finally build some momentum, only for a quadriceps issue sustained early on in the Champions League draw away at Qarabag on November 5 that came despite manager Enzo Maresca attempting to carefully manage his minutes.
The latest setback was expected to keep Lavia sidelined for at least a month, putting him likely on track to return at some point in December, though an exact time frame remains uncertain.
“We feel a shame for him, especially for him,” Maresca said after the game in Baku. “He's not able to be fit for a long, long period.
“We will see now. It's too early to understand what kind of injury. I think it's his quad.”
Potential return date: December
Dario Essugo
Caicedo’s dismissal against Arsenal was preceded by the timely return to training of summer signing Dario Essugo.
The young midfielder has been out of action since picking up a thigh injury while on international duty with Portugal’s Under-21s in September and requiring an operation.
Essugo was expected to come back either in late 2025 or early 2026, though Maresca revealed on Friday that he had returned to training earlier than expected.
He was not involved against Arsenal, though should be able to play a role for Chelsea in the weeks ahead once he’s rebuilt his match fitness.
Potential return date: December
Levi Colwill
England defender Levi Colwill has not played at all for Chelsea this season, having suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly after their return for pre-season training at Cobham in August following the Club World Cup.
He underwent surgery and was expected to miss most of the campaign.
There have been few updates on Colwill since, though the Daily Mail reported earlier in November that he had been off crutches for a month with his recovery progressing well with no setbacks.
It was suggested that he could yet be back before the end of the season.
Potential return date: Spring/summer 2026
