Chelsea face Joao Pedro absence, Jordan Henderson closes in on return

The Blues secured a 2-0 win over United in their previous outing, with Morgan Rogers producing an impressive individual effort before Cole Palmer marked his return from suspension by converting a penalty. However, their squad could remain stretched for the trip to the Premier League's bottom club.

Emi Martinez could provide a timely boost after recovering from a broken jaw sustained against Everton. The goalkeeper has progressed quicker than expected, and Alonso has not ruled out his availability against Sunderland, potentially with a protective mask.

"Yes, there is a chance. We need to still wait for next week, but let's see how things go. But there is a chance," said Alonso.

Jordan Henderson is also expected to return after missing the United fixture through illness, while Mike Penders has filled in between the posts during Martinez's absence.

"He's ill. There's no injury, but he was not feeling well yesterday and today had a fever in the morning, so he was not feeling good enough to come with the team," Alonso explained regarding Henderson's status.

Chelsea will, however, remain without Reece James, whose recent knee surgery is expected to keep him out until mid-January. Maxence Lacroix could also face an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury against Liverpool, with January now a possible return date.

Meanwhile, leading goalscorer Joao Pedro remains a major concern. The forward is expected to miss several weeks with a thigh injury, making the home meeting with Leeds after the November international break a potential comeback target.

"He has an injury on his thigh and he's going be out for a few weeks. Let's see how many. We don't want to predict on that. But not ready for the next games," Alonso said when asked about Pedro.

"He's a key player. We will miss him, but we have to be ready to deal with the injury, and be competitive and try and win with the players we have available. This is the situation." 

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