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According to a report by Metro on Friday, October 30, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is expected to be without six players when the Blues host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in Saturday's Premier League fixture.
Chelsea will be eager to bounce back from their disappointing defeat to Tottenham last weekend and return to winning ways. However, several injury concerns have disrupted their preparations, with Maxence Lacroix becoming the latest player to suffer a setback.
The £52 million summer signing sustained a hamstring injury during Chelsea's EFL Cup clash against Liverpool after pulling up while attempting to track Cody Gakpo. The French defender was unable to continue and was subsequently replaced by Levi Colwill.
Jorrel Hato is another player expected to miss Saturday's encounter after being left out of the squad for Wednesday's meeting with Liverpool. The young defender is still recovering his fitness and is unlikely to be available for the visit of Manchester United.
Emiliano Martinez also remains sidelined as he continues his rehabilitation following surgery on a fractured jaw. Nevertheless, Alonso has provided an encouraging update, suggesting that the goalkeeper could return for next week's Premier League clash against Sunderland.
Joao Pedro will also be unavailable as he continues recovering from the thigh injury that ruled him out of Chelsea's defeat to Tottenham last weekend.
Meanwhile, Reece James is not expected to return until early 2027 after undergoing minor knee surgery earlier this month. Jamie Gittens is also unavailable as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.
As a result, Chelsea must prepare for Saturday's important fixture without all six players. Manchester United, however, are also dealing with injury concerns ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge.