Thiago Silva set for last stand with Chelsea veteran's time at the top coming to an end

Father Time may finally have caught up with Thiago Silva.

The 39-year-old Chelsea defender was once described as "the Benjamin Button of football" by Thomas Tuchel — and his longevity at the top level has remarkable.

But the veteran Brazilian centre-back is beginning to look his age.

Silva was at least partly at fault for two goals in Wednesday's 4-1 defeat at Liverpool.

Diogo Jota's opener for Liverpool was a carbon copy of the one scored by Callum Wilson for Newcastle last month. Both Jota and Wilson bundled through Silva and Benoit Badiashile to score, as poor communication and physicality cost Chelsea on each occasion.

Silva has often cut a frustrated figure this season and was once again seen berating his younger team-mates after he was left exposed by their tactical ineptitude on Merseyside. At Anfield, he won just one duel, made one interception and did not make a tackle.

It is unlikely Mauricio Pochettino will drop Silva when Wolves visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with his alternative options either injured or also underperforming.

Only Conor Gallagher and Axel Disasi have played more that Silva this season, with the Brazilian playing 2,221 minutes in all competitions.

That is a testament to Silva's work off the pitch — he has gone as far as installing a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber at his home.

After matches he sits inside a high-tech piece of equipment, which pumps pure oxygen into the body to speed up his recovery, after it was recommended to him by UFC fighter Vitor Belfort.

The way Silva has looked after his body could earn him one last move, with offers coming in during the past six months from his former club Fluminense, in Brazil, and Saudi giants Al-Nassr.

Silva is in the final six months of his contract and Chelsea are seemingly looking at replacement centre-backs, having sounded out both Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo and Sporting's Ousmane Diomande.

After the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Middlesbrough last week, Silva said: "I know with each game I have the feeling that it's ending, so that makes me a little sad."

Silva will also begin his UEFA B coaching license this month as he could soon retire.

Whatever he decides to do next, it seems this is Silva's last stand at Chelsea.