Xabi Alonso’s side made it back-to-back victories since returning from the extended international break with a 2-0 triumph at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, thanks to a second-half brace from Pedro Neto.
asserted
side → make → Neto
That followed on from a thumping 5-1 success at home to Bournemouth last weekend, with the Blues quickly recovering some of the momentum they had lost following an initially bright start to another new managerial era in west London.
asserted
they → follow → London
However, an injury list that had been dramatically cut down following recent returns for the likes of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra is now growing swiftly again, with captain Reece James set to miss several months of action after undergoing knee surgery.
asserted
James → cut → surgery
Here is all the latest Chelsea injury news and return dates, with a lack of European football this season meaning at least the benefit of another clear midweek before a home showdown with London rivals Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.
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lack → mean → evening
Emi Martinez
Martinez performed well for Chelsea against Everton, making a couple of important saves before rushing out of his goal to try and punch clear a deep free-kick delivery into the penalty area and coming off much worse from a sickening and accidental clash of heads with Jarrad Branthwaite.
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Martinez → perform → Branthwaite
The match was delayed by 10 minutes as Martinez received treatment on the pitch and was eventually stretchered off before being taken straight to hospital for precautionary checks.
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Martinez → delay → checks
“What we know is he left the stadium conscious and right now he is in the hospital doing precautionary tests,” Alonso said on the Argentine after the game.
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Alonso → know → game
“It was concussion but more than that I saw only one clip.
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I → see → clip
Hopefully it won't be too bad but we need to wait.”
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we → need → ?
It later emerged that Martinez had broken his jaw and underwent surgery.
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Martinez → emerge → surgery
He took to social media on Sunday morning with a picture in a hospital gown, alongside the message: “Thanks to everyone for the messages.
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He → take → messages
The operation went well.
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operation → go → ?
“The most important thing is that we won, and kept a clean sheet.
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we → win → sheet
With former Chelsea No1 Robert Sanchez loaned to Como at the end of the summer, 21-year-old deputy Mike Penders replaced Martinez at Everton and is now in line to start over the coming weeks.
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Penders → loan → weeks
Potential return date: November
Pep Chavarria
Chavarria was set to make his third consecutive Premier League start for Chelsea against Everton at left wing-back, making the trip to Merseyside with the rest of his team-mates.
asserted
Chavarria → set → mates
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However, it later emerged that the £16million summer signing from Rayo Vallecano had been forced to drop out of the matchday squad altogether due to an unspecified issue picked up in training at Cobham on Friday that saw Jorrel Hato take his place in the XI.
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Hato → read → XI
“[Pep had] a little problem yesterday; we are not certain of the situation yet because it was late.
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it → have → situation
Jorrel is fit and has played there, so it’s just that change,” Alonso said.
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Alonso → play → ?
Hato will be expected to keep his starting spot if Chavarria does not recover in time to face Spurs.
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Chavarria → expect → Spurs
Potential return date: Unknown, pending further assessment
Malo Gusto
Another unexpected absentee from Chelsea’s matchday squad at Everton was Gusto, who has been reduced to a bit-part role under Alonso so far this term.
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who → pende → Alonso
The Frenchman has been on the bench of late, but was nowhere to be seen on Saturday as 16-year-old midfield sensation Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli was promoted to a substitute’s berth for the second away match in a row.
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Jazuli → see → row
Alonso later confirmed that Gusto’s omission was due to illness, rather than any injury, so he should be back available against Tottenham.
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he → confirm → Tottenham
Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Tottenham (H)
Reece James
James missed Chelsea’s woeful 3-0 defeat by Brentford before the international break with another hamstring issue, but recovered quickly and had been expected to start against Bournemouth, only to then suffer a knee problem during training at Cobham.
He played no part in the rout of the Cherries and underwent expert medical assessments, which determined that an operation was the best course of action.
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operation → miss → action
James had surgery that was described as “successful” and “minor”, though Standard Sport understands that he is not expected back in action for approximately three months.
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he → have → months
Winger Gittens picked up an ankle injury while playing for England’s Under-21s in a 2027 European Championship qualifier against Kazakhstan at Molineux last month and was spotted using crutches after the game.
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Gittens → pick → game
The player returned early to Chelsea for assessment and treatment, with Alonso saying before the Bournemouth match that he would be sidelined for a number of weeks.
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he → return → weeks
That remained the prognosis before the win over Everton, with Alonso saying: “Not yet.
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Alonso → remain → Everton
Potential return date: November
Emmanuel Emegha
Chelsea fans have yet to see summer signing Emegha in competitive action for the club after he made a promising start to pre-season following a move from BlueCo sister club Strasbourg.
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he → have → Strasbourg
The Dutch striker scored in successive behind-closed-doors friendlies against Crawley and Bromley at Cobham, but suffered a hamstring injury against the latter and has not been involved since - bar an unused substitute role against Luton in the Carabao Cup in August.
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striker → score → August
Emegha was seen in training in the build-up to the Everton game amid hopes that he could make the squad, but Alonso subsequently confirmed a setback that quickly curtailed that possibility.
uncertain
that → see → possibility
Alonso said of Emegha.
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Alonso → say → Emegha
“He felt something [on Thursday], a little thing.
“
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He → feel → Thursday
He's going to be training next week but he's still not 100 per cent fit to be playing in the game.
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he → go → game
He's quick, he attacks the space, he's a threat.
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he → attack → space
“So he needs to be fully fit and at this moment he's having little things and unfortunately he's not been available.
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he → need → things
“But we are looking forward to that.
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we → look → that
He feels good and he can help the team but he's going to be difficult for the defenders when he's in good shape.”
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he → feel → shape
The Aporia
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