Chelsea will wait until Saturday before making a final decision on Moises Caicedo’s fitness ahead of their Premier League trip to play Arsenal on Sunday.
The Ecuador international has been dealing with a fitness issue that has disrupted the early stages of his campaign. Caicedo missed Chelsea’s opening two matches of the season, against Fulham in the Premier League and Luton Town in the Carabao Cup.
He returned to the squad for last weekend’s meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion and was introduced from the bench in the second half. However, his comeback lasted only 13 minutes before he was forced off with another injury.
Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso described the problem as an issue that “wasn’t something new”, leaving the midfielder’s availability for the London derby uncertain.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Cobham on Friday, Alonso confirmed that Chelsea will use Saturday to determine whether Caicedo is fit enough to travel to the Emirates Stadium.
“We will check tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last decision for the squad on Sunday. We need to not be worried. These things can happen and we need to check. Tomorrow we will make the final decision.”
Xabi Alonso, Chelsea manager
Chelsea Face Another Tough Test Against Arsenal
Caicedo’s potential absence would represent another concern for Alonso as Chelsea prepare for one of their most demanding fixtures of the season.
The Blues have struggled badly against Arsenal in recent Premier League meetings. Their last league victory over the Gunners came in the 2021-22 season, when Chelsea secured a 2-0 win at the Emirates with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Reece James.
Since then, Chelsea have gone nine Premier League matches without beating Arsenal, underlining the difficulty of the fixture for the west London club.
The record also extends to Alonso’s opposite number, Mikel Arteta. Since Arteta took charge of Arsenal, Chelsea have beaten the Spaniard just once in the Premier League, highlighting a rivalry that has increasingly swung in the Gunners’ favour.
Chelsea will therefore need their key players available as they attempt to end that poor run. Caicedo’s ability to protect the defence, regain possession and provide control in midfield could be particularly important against an Arsenal side expected to dominate large periods of the game.
Alonso Backs Emegha to Make His Mark
Alonso also provided an update on Emmanuel Emegha, who is yet to make his Chelsea debut following his summer arrival from Strasbourg.
The striker has been sidelined by an injury sustained during pre-season, delaying his introduction to the Chelsea first team.
Despite the setback, Alonso believes the Netherlands international has the qualities to become an important attacking option once he reaches full fitness. “I see him playing on the last line, and when he has space he is a big threat,” Alonso said.
The Chelsea boss acknowledged that Emegha has endured a frustrating start after arriving at the club but urged patience from the young forward.
“He has been here for a few months and had an injury that meant he missed part of pre-season, unfortunately for him. But he’s young, and he has very special qualities.”
Xabi Alonso, Chelsea manager
Alonso remains confident that Emegha will eventually get his opportunity, provided he continues his recovery and reaches the required level of fitness.
“We hope that he feels better and he takes those steps so that he’s going to be more involved. Players that are young and come here need to be patient, but knowing that for sure they will have their opportunity.”
Xabi Alonso
For now, Chelsea’s immediate concern is Caicedo fitness, with Saturday’s assessment set to determine whether the midfielder can play a role in their attempt to finally overcome the reigning Premier League champions.
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