Xabi Alonso Offers Moises Caicedo Injury Update After Two Big Squad Omissions In Brighton Win | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso confirmed that the decision to pull Moises Caicedo out of the game during Chelsea’s Premier League 4-3 win over Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday was partly precautionary.

Caicedo missed the first two games of the season, against Fulham in the Premier League and League One side Luton Town in the Carabao Cup, after sustaining a knock in training.

The 24-year-old only returned to Chelsea training on Friday, so it was no surprise that Alonso decided against putting him in the starting line-up. Instead, the Spaniard opted for a midfield double pivot of Romeo Lavia and Malo Gusto.

Caicedo came on as a substitute in the 68th minute in the second half alongside Reece James and Josh Acheampong, with Romeo Lavia, Pedro Neto, and Wesley Fofana making way for the trio.

However, the Ecuador international’s first appearance of the season only lasted 14 minutes. He hobbled off with an apparent injury in the 82nd minute and had to be replaced by summer signing Valentin Barco.

Alonso revealed that the extent of the setback remains uncertain, but the decision came after Caicedo said he felt some discomfort.

“Hopefully it was not new, and it wasn't more than last time,” said Alonso in his post-match conference when speaking about Caicedo’s injury situation.

“So he was cautious to stop, to say that this feeling was not the best, but we need to assess during the week. But it wasn't something new.”

Chelsea will have a week to prepare for their next fixture, the big trip to north London to face Arsenal.

This hopefully gives Caicedo, as well as Marco Palestra, who remains sidelined with a minor injury, enough time to recover.

Robert Sanchez and Enzo Fernandez’s omissions

A couple of other absentees from Chelsea’s squad against Brighton are Sanchez and Fernandez.

In Sanchez’s case, it is pretty clear he was left out to make room for Chelsea’s new goalkeeper signing, Emiliano Martinez. The Argentina international started in goal despite having just arrived from Aston Villa and made a few important saves to help secure Chelsea’s third consecutive win.

Alonso revealed that he had a conversation with Martinez on Saturday, in which the goalkeeper insisted that he “felt ready”.

Fernandez, on the other hand, has not made the squad for two straight games, having also missed the Carabao Cup second-round win over Luton Town on Thursday.

Alonso argued that the decision was just for the sake of the team, as he hinted at a potential transfer move for the Argentina international.

“We want the best for the team, and that's why we made the decision against Luton and today,” the Chelsea boss explained when asked about Fernandez’s absence.

“Anything that happens before Tuesday evening (Premier League transfer window deadline), we need to be aware of what is going to develop.

“We are not sure; we are preparing for all the scenarios, but I am sure that whatever happens from Wednesday, we will have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League games.”

Fernandez continues to be linked with a potential move to Manchester City for a potential reunion with former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca.

The Blues are demanding over £120 million for the midfielder, and it remains unclear whether Manchester City would meet the asking price with just a couple of days left before the transfer window deadline.