Chelsea have confirmed a request to postpone their Premier League match at Wolves was rejected.
The Blues issued a statement revealing strong disappointment at league bosses insisting Sunday’s match at Wolves went ahead on schedule.
Chelsea were already without Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi due to positive Covid-19 tests.
The Stamford Bridge club were understood to have lost more players to positive tests on Saturday, leaving the west Londoners travelling to Wolverhampton with a makeshift squad.
Ben Chilwell has been isolating due to a positive Covid test, but was already sidelined with knee trouble.
Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were not on Chelsea’s team bus on arrival at Molineux.
Thomas Tuchel had already admitted Chelsea could be pressed into starting Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante ahead of schedule on the midfield duo’s return from injury.
Kovacic only came out of isolation on Friday and has not played since October due to hamstring trouble, while Kante has not featured since November with a knee issue.
“We are deeply disappointed that our application was rejected as we felt we had a strong case for postponement of today’s match on the grounds of players’ health and safety,” said a Chelsea spokesman.