Thiago Silva goes off injured with Chelsea’s defence at risk of depletion for Carabao Cup final

Thiago Silva is a doubt for Chelsea's Carabao Cup final clash with Liverpool after hobbling off with an injury against Crystal Palace.

The Brazilian star lasted less than an hour of the contest at Selhurst Park when he slid in to block an effort from Jean-Philippe Mateta.

However, the defender stayed down, before requiring treatment on the pitch.

Getting off the turf sluggishly, Silva could be seen shaking his head as he made his way off the pitch to be replaced by Levi Colwill.

For Chelsea, the timing of the injury is not ideal in the slightest with Benoit Badiashile already facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a groin injury against Aston Villa.

The Blues are looking towards their Carabao Cup final clash with Liverpool on Sunday February 25, live on talkSPORT, a contest that could be pivotal in the overall success of their campaign.

Victory over the Reds would see Chelsea qualify for the Europa Conference League next term, an achievement that would be seen as a major boost given their struggles in the last two seasons, although it may not be so good for them financially.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have been without European football this term, while their mid-table standing in the Premier League means that qualifying for Europe through the league appears unlikely at this point.

While still competing in the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup offers the most direct route into Europe, but without the 39-year-old, their hopes of prospering will be surely diminished.