According to a report by Metro on Friday, October 30, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is expected to be without six players when his side host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s Premier League fixture.

The Blues will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing defeat to Tottenham last weekend. However, their preparations have been disrupted by several injury concerns, with defender Maxence Lacroix becoming the latest player to join the club’s growing injury list.

The £52 million summer signing picked up a hamstring injury during Chelsea’s EFL Cup meeting with Liverpool. Lacroix reportedly suffered the problem while tracking Cody Gakpo and was unable to continue, forcing Alonso to bring on Levi Colwill as his replacement.

Jorrel Hato is another defender expected to miss the Manchester United encounter. The youngster was absent from Chelsea’s squad for the midweek clash against Liverpool and is still working towards regaining full fitness. His recovery is not expected to progress quickly enough for him to feature on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez also remains unavailable as he continues recovering from surgery on a fractured jaw. However, Alonso has provided some encouragement regarding his condition, suggesting that the goalkeeper could be available for next week’s meeting with Sunderland.

Joao Pedro is another major absentee for the Blues. The Brazilian forward is still recovering from the thigh injury that forced him to miss last weekend’s defeat against Tottenham.

Meanwhile, Reece James is not expected to return until early 2027 after undergoing minor knee surgery earlier this month. His continued absence leaves Chelsea without an important option at right back.

Jamie Gittens completes the list of expected absentees, with the winger still recovering from an ankle injury.

The six potential absences present Alonso with a selection challenge ahead of a significant Premier League fixture. Chelsea will need to adjust their plans and make the most of their available players as they attempt to secure a positive result against Manchester United.

With both sides dealing with injury concerns, Saturday’s meeting at Stamford Bridge could test the depth of their respective squads.

Correct the host and date wordingClarify the six player injury listRemove repetitive closing paragraphs