Maxence Lacroix has started his rehabilitation after suffering a hamstring injury that could see him miss a significant portion of Chelsea's upcoming fixtures.

Lacroix sustained the Blues' latest injury setback midway through the first half during Chelsea’s League Cup defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The Frenchman's injury takes the number of players unavailable to Xabi Alonso to seven. The new boss already has Joao Pedro, Emiliano Martinez, Aaron Anselmino, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and Reece James sidelined until at least the international break.

In addition to the injury troubles, Jordan Henderson missed Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Manchester United on October 31 through illness as Alonso’s squad depth is firmly put to the test. 

Lacroix made the move to Stamford Bridge over the summer, joining from Crystal Palace for a fee in the region of £52 million. According to Transfermarkt, this is the first time in the Frenchman's career that he has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, and his first setback since the 2022/23 season with Wolfsburg.

Alonso had relied on the French international at the start of the 2026/27 campaign. Prior to the victory over Manchester United, the 26-year-old had played in all eight Premier League matches.

The number of fixtures Lacroix could miss gives Chelsea and Alonso plenty to think about. According to BBC Sport, there are fears that the defender could be out until January.

The Blues travel to Sunderland before the final international break of the year takes place. After the break, the west London side host Leeds United before travelling to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest to close out November.

December is a period of fixture congestion that Alonso has yet to deal with as a manager, although he will have some understanding of it from his playing days. The Blues are set to play six matches in 28 days, including fixtures against his former side Crystal Palace, as well as clashes with both Liverpool and Manchester City.

His absence comes as a blow given the lack of short-term replacements at Alonso's disposal. The 44-year-old can currently only call upon Levi Colwill, Josh Acheampong and Wesley Fofana as central defensive options.

One option could be to switch to a back four to maintain options on the bench. With both James and Anselmino sidelined, in addition to Lacroix, there is very little room for error.

With a return expected in January, Chelsea's clash with Newcastle United at the start of the month could provide Lacroix with a potential comeback date. The FA Cup third round also gets underway a week later, offering another opportunity for the defender to return to action.

Sunderland (A), Leeds (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Crystal Palace (H), Liverpool (H), Manchester City (A), Aston Villa (H), Coventry (A), Ipswich Town (A).