According to a report by Metro on Saturday October 31, 2026, Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix is expected to miss the remainder of 2026 after suffering a serious hamstring injury, raising fresh concerns for manager Xabi Alonso ahead of their Premier League clash with Manchester United.

The French international picked up the injury during Chelsea's Carabao Cup encounter against Liverpool on Wednesday and was forced off just before half-time.

Lacroix pulled up while tracking the run of Cody Gakpo and immediately signalled to the Chelsea bench that he could not continue.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Alonso confirmed that the defender would miss Chelsea's remaining matches before the November international break.

"Max picked up an injury and we expect he is not going to be ready before the international break. He will be a few weeks out," the Spanish manager said.

However, according to reports, further examinations have revealed that Lacroix suffered a grade three hamstring tear, which could take between eight and 12 weeks to heal.

The report suggests there are growing fears at Chelsea that the 26-year-old will not return to action until after Christmas and could remain sidelined into the New Year.

Such a setback would see him miss approximately 10 matches, including important December fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City.

Lacroix has been an important player for Alonso since arriving from Crystal Palace during the summer transfer window.

The defender has played the full 90 minutes in seven of Chelsea's first eight Premier League matches and has accumulated more playing time than any other player in the squad.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are also dealing with other injury concerns, with Joao Pedro expected to spend several weeks on the sidelines following a thigh injury.

Captain Reece James is also continuing his recovery from minor knee surgery, leaving Alonso with further selection concerns ahead of the Manchester United encounter.