Chelsea have received a boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Brentford after head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that João Pedro and Reece James have not been ruled out of Friday’s West London derby.
The availability of both players had become a concern after João Pedro withdrew from Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international fixtures because of an injury, while James missed part of Chelsea’s training earlier in the week.
However, Alonso has indicated that the final decision on their availability will be made after the team’s last training session before the match. The Chelsea manager said no player had been ruled out at that stage and that the club would carefully assess the condition of the squad before selecting the team...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
João Pedro’s situation is particularly important for Chelsea given his impressive start to the campaign. The Brazilian forward has registered three goals and three assists in four Premier League appearances, making him one of the club’s most productive attacking players so far this season.
The former Brighton forward was involved in Chelsea’s recent 2-2 draw against Hull City, where he contributed significantly to the team’s attacking performance. His potential return against Brentford would therefore provide Alonso with another important attacking option.
Despite confirming that João Pedro remains in contention, Alonso has adopted a cautious approach because of the player’s injury. The manager said the club would wait until the final assessment before determining whether the Brazilian is fit enough to play.
Reece James is also being monitored after his absence from part of Tuesday’s training session raised concerns about his fitness. Alonso, however, suggested that the decision was more precautionary and said the Chelsea captain would be assessed before the final team is selected.
Midfielder Moisés Caicedo is another player being monitored by the Chelsea coaching staff. The Ecuador international has been working his way back from injury and could potentially return to the matchday squad against Brentford.
Alonso also indicated that Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson could be assessed before the game, with the manager insisting that final decisions would only be made after the last training session.
Chelsea travel to the Gtech Community Stadium looking to return to winning ways after dropping points in their previous Premier League fixture against Hull City. The Blues had taken the lead but eventually settled for a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Brentford, meanwhile, enter the contest with an unbeaten league record and will be looking to take advantage of home support in what promises to be a closely watched West London derby.
The match is scheduled for Friday, September 18, with kick-off at 8pm. Both teams have an opportunity to move into third place with a victory, adding further significance to the encounter.
For Chelsea, the fitness of João Pedro and James could be particularly important as Alonso prepares his squad for the match. However, the manager has made it clear that neither player’s involvement is guaranteed until the final fitness checks have been completed.
The outcome of those assessments will determine whether the two players are included in the Chelsea squad when the Blues take on Brentford.
The official team news confirms that João Pedro and Reece James remain in contention, while Caicedo is also getting closer to a possible return.
