According to a report by Metro on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Chelsea have suffered a major injury setback after Joao Pedro was ruled out for several weeks with a thigh injury, leaving manager Xabi Alonso without one of his most important attacking players ahead of two difficult matches.

The Brazilian striker was a surprise absentee when Chelsea suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday, with his absence affecting the team's attacking options as they struggled to find a way back into the game against their London rivals.

Alonso has now confirmed that Pedro will miss Chelsea's Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Liverpool on Wednesday night, as well as Saturday's Premier League meeting with Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, although the club is still waiting to establish exactly how long he will be unavailable.

Speaking during his press conference on Tuesday, the Chelsea manager said:"He has an injury of his thigh and is going to be out for a few weeks. Let’s see how many. He’s not ready for the next games. He’s a key player. We’ll miss him. We have to be ready to deal with the injury, starting tomorrow with Liverpool."

Pedro has made an impressive start to the season, recording five goals and three assists in seven appearances, and his absence will be a concern for Alonso as Chelsea prepare for two important fixtures within the space of four days.

The 24-year-old has been leading the attack ahead of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, but the manager must now find another option capable of giving the team the goals and movement they need while the Brazilian recovers from his injury.

Chelsea will travel to Anfield on Wednesday hoping to secure a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals before turning their attention to Manchester United at the weekend. However, with Pedro unavailable for both matches, Alonso will need other players to step up and help the Blues return to winning ways after their defeat to Tottenham.