Alonso to Decide on Caicedo's Fitness for Arsenal Clash

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso stated that a final decision regarding Moises Caicedo's fitness will be made on Saturday, leaving his participation in the London derby against Arsenal on Sunday uncertain. Caicedo missed Chelsea's first two matches of the season against Fulham and Luton Town but returned for the match against Brighton and Hove Albion, where he was substituted after just 13 minutes due to an issue described by Alonso as “wasn’t something new.” Alonso indicated that the team would assess Caicedo during their final training session before the match.

This game marks Alonso's first encounter with Arsenal since taking charge at Chelsea. Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is also managing fitness concerns within his squad, including assessing Bruno and Cristhian Mosquera, while Jurrien Timber has returned to full training.

William Saliba remains sidelined, with uncertainty regarding his recovery timeline. Alonso also provided an update on Emmanuel Emegha, who is recovering from an injury sustained during pre-season.