Moises Caicedo was missing from Chelsea’s matchday squad for their Premier League opener against Fulham on Monday night.
Xabi Alonso’s reign as Chelsea manager began with a west London derby at Craven Cottage.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder was without influential midfielder Caicedo for Chelsea’s opening Premier League fixture due to a ‘setback’ suffered in training.
In Caicedo’s absence, Reece James partnered Romeo Lavia in midfield, with Enzo Fernandez only named on the bench amid ongoing speculation over a late move to Manchester City before the end of the summer transfer window.
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Explaining the absence of Caicedo and Chelsea summer signing Marco Palestra in his pre-match interview, Alonso said: ‘During the week they had a few setbacks.
‘With Moi – and with any [player] – we don’t want to take too much risk. They weren’t ready to play tonight. We need to go week-by-week but for tonight they were not ready.’
New Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa admitted he was surprised by Alonso’s first Chelsea team, saying: ‘You’ll have to ask Xabi about that!
‘I think maybe they have some injured or some problems. I will ask him later. We expected another XI for starting, for sure.’
Discussing his expectations for Chelsea for the new season, Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports: ‘We’re looking at Chelsea doing okay on the fact Alonso has come in – it feels they’ve done really well to get a manager of that calibre.
‘Given how poor last season was – and the fact they have no European football, and they’ve been in the transfer market.
‘There’s definitely a shift there. They’ve realised mistakes they’ve made in the past.
‘Chelsea have got five or six really top players. Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix could add to that. They’re the two signings I really look at.
‘If you add them to those five or six players and they perform well and settle in, that’s why we think they could have a really good season.’
Asked whether Chelsea could rival title favourites Arsenal for the Premier League trophy, Gary Neville added: ‘It’s a big ask.
‘With the quality Arsenal have, the strength they have, the confidence… it will be a big ask to challenge Arsenal.
‘But I think Chelsea, looking at the rest of [the contenders], and what Chelsea have done in this transfer window, I think they’re in a good place. They could push for second.’
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