According to a report by Metro on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Chelsea have suffered another injury setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Manchester United, with defender Maxence Lacroix facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday's encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Lacroix is a major doubt after sustaining a suspected hamstring injury during Chelsea's Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The France international was forced off shortly before half-time after pulling up while tracking Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo. Chelsea subsequently replaced him with Levi Colwill.

Lacroix's potential absence represents a significant concern for manager Xabi Alonso, considering the defender's importance since arriving from Crystal Palace during the summer.

The £52 million signing has featured prominently in Chelsea's campaign, playing the full 90 minutes in seven of their eight Premier League matches.

He has also accumulated more minutes than any other player in the squad this season.

The 25-year-old had started every match in Chelsea's Carabao Cup campaign before Wednesday's setback.

Chelsea were eliminated from the competition after losing 7-6 on penalties following a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. The result ended their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Speaking after the match, Alonso admitted that the club needed more time to establish the severity of Lacroix's injury.

"Too early to tell. Probably he felt something on the hamstrings. And we need a couple of days to check what's going to be the injury."

Chelsea now face a demanding turnaround before welcoming Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, with Michael Carrick remaining in charge of the visitors.

The Blues already have several injury concerns to manage. Forward Joao Pedro is sidelined with a thigh injury sustained before last weekend's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while captain Reece James is also unavailable.

First-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez remains absent as he continues his recovery from jaw surgery.

There is, however, some positive news for Alonso, as Cole Palmer is available again after serving the suspension resulting from his red card against Tottenham.

Palmer missed Wednesday's encounter with Liverpool but could return to the starting line-up against Manchester United.

Lacroix's condition will be closely monitored over the coming days as Chelsea assess their defensive options for the weekend.