João Pedro faces weeks out as Alonso confirms thigh injury

Chelsea striker João Pedro is facing several weeks out with a thigh injury, manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed. According to the Guardian, the Brazil international sustained the problem in training and is likely to remain unavailable until after the November international break. Alonso did not give a definite recovery date, stressing that the length of the absence was still uncertain.

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The injury had already kept João Pedro out of Chelsea's 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham on Saturday. Alonso said the forward would not be ready for the next matches and described an absence extending beyond the international break as probable rather than certain. The Guardian reported that he was unlikely to return before the end of November at the earliest, leaving Chelsea without a firm date for his comeback.

The layoff also affects João Pedro's availability for Brazil. He missed the national team's previous camp because of a knee issue, and the Guardian reported that the current injury would rule him out of the next gathering. The thigh problem was sustained during club training; the report identified the earlier knee issue separately and did not link the two injuries.

For Chelsea, the absence leaves Alonso needing to adjust an attack that struggled against Tottenham. He selected a side without a recognised striker for that defeat, with Danny Welbeck overlooked. The Guardian reported that Welbeck was pushing for a starting place against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, but did not report that Alonso had confirmed his selection.

Chelsea also have another attacking absence for the fourth-round trip to Anfield, with Cole Palmer suspended. João Pedro's injury therefore comes alongside a separate selection restriction for Alonso, who must change his attacking options for the cup match. The manager's update offered no assurance that the striker would be available immediately after the international break.

Alonso also acknowledged that Chelsea need to improve their play in possession after Tottenham held 68.5% of the ball in Saturday's match. He said he wanted his team to play with greater confidence on the ball and explained that his approach was continuing to develop. Those comments accompanied confirmation of an injury absence that has already forced changes to his forward line.