Emiliano Martinez has been left out of Chelsea's squad for Sunday's trip to Sunderland, despite returning to training this week after jaw surgery, as Xabi Alonso decided the Argentina goalkeeper's comeback would be too risky — and handed Mike Penders another start between the posts.
Chelsea name their side for the Premier League trip to the Stadium of Light, where kick-off is at 2pm GMT on Sunday, November 8. The Blues arrive on 16 points from nine games, while Sunderland sit bottom of the table on five points.
Confirmed lineups at the Stadium of Light
Chelsea (4-3-3): Penders; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Chavarria; Lavia, Caicedo (c), Henderson; Palmer, Rogers, Neto.
Substitutes: Sharman-Lowe, Anselmino, Gusto, Barco, Nicoll-Jazuli, Quenda, Estevao, Welbeck, Emegha.
Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, Mukiele, O'Nien, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fee, Talbi; Brobbey.
Substitutes: Ellborg, Danso, Methalie, Angulo, Rigg, Isidor, Fofana, Tutierov, Ahoka.
Alonso has made two changes to the side that beat Manchester United 2-0 last weekend. Pep Chavarria comes in for Josh Acheampong, who has been left out of the squad with a minor issue, while Jordan Henderson returns after illness and Estevao Willian drops to the bench despite an encouraging display against United. Marco Palestra switches to right-back to accommodate Chavarria on the left.
For the hosts, Regis Le Bris has made three alterations after last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Coventry City. Thomas Meunier, Nordi Mukiele and Chemsdine Talbi are all drafted in, with Talbi making his first Premier League start. Omar Alderete misses out through suspension, while Chris Rigg and Angulo drop to the bench. Habib Diarra, Romaine Mundle and Dan Ballard are all sidelined through injury.
Martinez left out as Alonso plays it safe
The big call came in goal. Martinez fractured his jaw in Chelsea's 2-0 win at Everton on October 17 and needed surgery, but he returned to training this week wearing a protective mask and Alonso had raised the possibility of a return before the international break.
In the end, the Chelsea boss decided against it. Martinez is not even on the substitutes' bench, with Penders — who kept a clean sheet against United — continuing in goal. That decision was confirmed by Sports Mole and football.london, who both reported the goalkeeper's absence from the matchday squad.
Alonso explained that the 34-year-old needs more time to get used to the mask. "He will use one more week, ten days, to keep on training and get used to the mask. I'm sure after the break he will be available," the manager said. Selecting him at Sunderland, he indicated, would have been too risky.
Speaking on Friday, Alonso had praised the goalkeeper's determination to get back ahead of schedule. "He's training well," he said. "Emi has made a great effort to be back, that he's been ahead of the plans to be part of the team, and tomorrow we will check, and Sunday we will take the final decision."
Asked about the protective mask, Alonso joked: "The mask I guess is from a specialist, not from a Halloween shop. He's getting used to it; for sure, it's not the most comfortable thing, but he's getting used to it. He's been training almost the whole week with it."
Caicedo fit to captain as Henderson returns
There was better news for Chelsea in midfield. Moises Caicedo was passed fit to start and captains the side at the Stadium of Light, despite missing training on Wednesday with discomfort after the United game.
"After the last game he had little problems, so we expect to check tomorrow, a different situation, and Moi is one of them. It's a discomfort more than the calf," Alonso said on Friday.
Caicedo lines up alongside Romeo Lavia and the returning Henderson, with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Pedro Neto forming a fluid front three. There is no recognised striker in the XI — Danny Welbeck is again overlooked — with Neto expected to operate through the middle.
So what: a top-four place is on the line
Chelsea arrive at the Stadium of Light on 16 points from nine games, and a win could lift them into the Premier League's top four heading into the international break. Sunderland sit bottom of the table on five points, and Le Bris is under severe pressure after his side were booed off following Thursday's 2-0 home defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.
Alonso, though, refused to look at the table. "The table means not too much because that can change so much in one week. In two games, you can be fourth, so we are taking a step forward I think," he said. "We need to keep winning, winning, winning and to build this mentality to go game by game."
He added a warning about the hosts: "We know what it takes to win there. We know how demanding it will be. It doesn't matter, the table. I think that they deserve more points than they got, and it's going to be a tough game away."
Beyond the Final Whistle
Alonso has made the right call on Martinez, even if it frustrates supporters who wanted their first-choice goalkeeper back. A fractured jaw is not an injury to rush, and a goalkeeper still adjusting to a protective mask is one mistimed challenge away from a setback that could cost Chelsea far more than one afternoon at Sunderland. Penders has earned the shirt with a clean sheet against United, and the real story of this team news is elsewhere: Caicedo fit and captaining, Henderson back, and a front three built to punish a side rooted to the bottom. If Chelsea win here, they go into the break in the top four — and that, not the goalkeeper debate, is the prize.
Should Alonso have risked Martinez at Sunderland, or was leaving him out the only sensible call? Let us know in the comments.
