Chelsea injury update: Xabi Alonso delays final decisions before Brentford

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says no player has been ruled out of Friday’s Premier League match against Brentford, with a final decision on the squad to be made after the team’s last training session.

Chelsea travel to the Gtech Community Stadium for the opening fixture of the fifth round of the Premier League, with Alonso waiting until Friday morning before confirming which players will be available.

“Regarding the injuries and the squad, we have one final training session on Friday morning, so no player has been ruled out of the Brentford match at this stage,” Alonso said at his pre-match news conference.

The Chelsea manager said he would take a cautious approach before deciding on the involvement of Joao Pedro, who missed Brazil’s squad for the September international break because of injury.

“I prefer to be cautious, and we will wait until tomorrow to make the final decision on every player,” Alonso added.

“We will see tomorrow whether Joao Pedro is ready to play. There is a possibility that he could feature.”

Ecuador international Moises Caicedo is also nearing a return, having missed every match Chelsea have played so far this season.

Caicedo suffered his injury during a Chelsea training session before the club’s opening Premier League fixture against Fulham. Alonso said the midfielder’s availability would also be assessed before the team and travelling squad are confirmed.

“Moises Caicedo is close to returning, and tomorrow we will make the final decision on the team and the squad that will travel to Brentford,” he said.

Chelsea have taken seven points from their first four league matches, recording two wins, one draw and one defeat. They are sixth in the table ahead of the trip to Brentford.

Brentford are one place below them in seventh, with six points from one victory and three draws.

Friday’s fixture will therefore bring together two teams separated by one point in the early Premier League standings, although Chelsea will not finalise their selection until after Alonso has seen the players in their final training session.