Xabi Alonso says Emi Martinez could be back on the pitch for Chelsea sooner than first thought as he works to recover from a fractured jaw.

Chelsea host Tottenham this weekend in a grudge derby clash at Stamford Bridge, but will not be able to call upon their first-choice goalkeeper.

The Argentine came off worse from a crunching collision with Jarrad Branthwaite in last weekend’s defeat of Everton. He was stretchered off and rushed to a local hospital, where he underwent successful surgery.

He was initially expected to miss four to six weeks as he recovered, but Alonso has now revealed he could be back on the earlier end of that range.

“He is doing better,” said Alonso of Martinez.

Emi Martinez suffered a fractured jaw in a nasty clash of heads with Jarrad Branthwaite

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“He had the surgery and day by day he is feeling better. We still need to wait. A few weeks. Hopefully less rather than more.

“We need to listen to the opinion of the doctors as well. Considering it was a bad one, he is doing good.”

The highly-rated young Belgian Mike Penders is expected to continue in his place.

He continued, explaining that Malo Gusto will be in contention for this weekend’s derby clash with Tottenham but that Pep Chavarria will miss out with a minor injury.

Both full-backs were left out of the matchday squad at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last weekend. Gusto did not make the trip due to illness.

Chavarria, however, arrived with the team for the match and had been expected to start, but dropped out of the lineup at short notice due to a minor injury. His place was taken by Jorrel Hato, who played a key role in Pedro Neto’s first goal.

Alonso explained: "Malo is fine. Pep is still training a little bit more but is not going to make it."