The Blues meet Brighton and Hove Albion in tomorrow’s Premier League match at Stamford Bridge but Marcos Alonso will not take part in the encounter the Blues manager Maurizio Sarri has confirmed.
The Spain international played in the Blues 2-1 victory over Cardiff City on Sunday but picked up a hamstring in the game which will rule him out for three to four days.
However, Sarri confirmed Eden Hazard and Ngolo Kante who were not involved from the start in the game against the Bluebirds will play a major part in the game against Seagulls.
Speaking in his pre-match conference Sarri said; ‘We have a little problem with Alonso and his hamstring so I think he has to rest for three or four days,’ said Sarri at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Alonso has not been at his best in recent months, but to his credit has reacted well to the added competition from Emerson. It was the Spaniard who assisted Cesar Azpilcueta’s goal to draw Chelsea level against Cardiff.
Emerson now looks set to be given a chance to impress in the Premier League, an opportunity that has come few and far between for the Italian under Sarri this season.
However, Blues fans can expect to see both Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante to start against Brighton after being placed on the substitute’s bench on Sunday. When asked if the Belgian and the Frenchman would return to the starting XI, Sarri replied: ‘I don’t know but I think so.
‘They rested in the last match. We need to consider that N’Golo this season has played 50 matches and Hazard 48. ‘In the last two weeks they played with the national teams for two matches so sometimes they need to rest. Now they are okay.’
Sarri also said Callum Hudson-Odoi will start one of Chelsea’s next two Premier League matches. Hudson-Odoi has made six Premier League appearances this season but has yet to start in the league for his club, despite getting his first start for England last week.
The 18-year-old was an unused substitute in the 2-1 over Cardiff but Sarri says he will play from the start against either Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night or in the following match, also at home, to West Ham on Monday Night Football.
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Sarri said: “In pre-season after four or five training sessions, I realised that Callum was a player with very great potential. In my opinion, in that moment he wasn’t ready to play at this level, but during the season he has improved and he is ready.
“I decided at the beginning of the season that he has to stay with us and I put him in the squad. I know Callum very well. I want him to improve more because the potential is high. Callum is always in my mind, in my opinion, he is our future. He is ready to play.”