Thiago Silva has played more minutes than any other Chelsea player this season. Now, with Graham Potter perhaps entering the two most crucial matches of his Chelsea career so far, the Blues will be without the 38-year-old veteran who has been the club's standout player of the season.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Silva had suffered knee ligament damage in Chelsea's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. The Brazilian international fell after challenging a raft of players and landed awkwardly before attempting to carry on after treatment, though seemingly just to a more appropriate time for his substitution.
Potter will need to fashion a new partnership in his backline to deal without the consistency of Silva, having just rested the former AC Milan and PSG star for the defeat to Southampton. It wasn't long into that match that he was missed. Despite their form, the Blues still have a competitive defensive record, with only Arsenal and Newcastle having conceded fewer goals.
