João Pedro faces weeks out as Alonso confirms thigh injury

Chelsea striker João Pedro is expected to miss several weeks with a thigh injury, manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed. The Brazil international sustained the problem in training before Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham, which he missed. The Guardian reported that his absence is likely to extend beyond next month's international break.

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Alonso did not give a firm recovery date, saying Chelsea would have to assess how long the forward would be unavailable. He confirmed that João Pedro was not ready for the team's next matches and described a return after the November international break as probable. That leaves the club without a confirmed timetable for his comeback rather than a guaranteed date later in the month.

The injury also affects João Pedro's international availability. According to the Guardian, the expected layoff means he will not be available for Brazil during the coming break. He had already missed the previous national-team camp because of a knee problem. The newly reported thigh injury is therefore a further interruption for a player whose recent international involvement had already been curtailed.

Chelsea's defeat by Tottenham provided an early indication of the selection decisions facing Alonso without the former Brighton forward. The manager fielded a side without a recognised striker, leaving Danny Welbeck out of the starting line-up. Chelsea failed to score, while Tottenham recorded 68.5% possession. Welbeck gives Alonso another option as he adjusts the attack during João Pedro's absence.

João Pedro is not Chelsea's only unavailable attacking player for their Carabao Cup fourth-round meeting with Liverpool. Cole Palmer is suspended, the Guardian reported. Those absences leave Alonso having to alter his attacking plans, with the striker's injury extending beyond a single cup fixture. The manager's assessment offered no indication that João Pedro could make an immediate return to ease those selection problems.

Alonso also addressed Chelsea's use of the ball after the Tottenham defeat. He said possession remained an objective and acknowledged that the team had room to improve, stressing the need to play with greater confidence. His comments identified an issue beyond replacing one forward as Chelsea work through the consequences of João Pedro's layoff.