Joao Pedro ruled out for weeks in major Chelsea injury blow

Chelsea have suffered a significant setback after Joao Pedro was ruled out for several weeks with a thigh injury. The Brazilian striker will miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Liverpool at Anfield, as well as Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United, according to manager Xabi Alonso.

Joao Pedro was a surprise omission from Chelsea’s squad for the 2–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend. The forward picked up the injury during training on the day before the London derby, and his absence was felt as Chelsea struggled to find a way through Tottenham’s defence.

Alonso confirmed the extent of the problem ahead of the Liverpool fixture, explaining that the striker would be unavailable for the upcoming matches. The Chelsea manager stopped short of giving an exact return date, leaving the club waiting to discover how long the Brazilian will need to recover.

There was some more encouraging news for Chelsea, however, with Alonso confirming that Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck and Estevao will be included in the travelling squad for the trip to Anfield. Their availability could prove important as Chelsea prepare for a demanding run of fixtures without one of their key attacking options.