Xabi Alonso has provided the latest update on Joao Pedro’s injury after the striker’s absence in Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Joao Pedro’s omission from Chelsea’s team sheet against Spurs came as a surprise since he was expected to lead the line for the hosts.

It also raised some concerns, as the last time Chelsea played without their number nine, they lost 3-0 to Brentford before the international break in September.

Danny Welbeck got the nod to start at the time, but this time, Alonso opted for a front two of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers. It did not work out well for Chelsea, obviously, given the disappointing end to their six-game Premier League winning run over Tottenham.

To make it worse, Chelsea still have three more games to play before the next international break, two of which, against Liverpool and Manchester United, will take place in the next week.

Unfortunately, the possibility of Joao Pedro’s swift return remains unclear. Based on Alonso’s statement, the Brazil international is struggling mainly with oedema, which is a build-up of excess fluid in certain body parts.

“We don't know yet because he has a lot of fluid,” the Chelsea manager said in his post-Spurs press conference when asked about Joao Pedro’s injury.

“He felt it yesterday (Friday), and we need to wait probably until tomorrow (Sunday) to do the test and to know the whole situation and the whole seriousness of the injury.

“We will know soon enough.”

Alonso did not specify any details about the injury, and oedema, which causes swelling, can affect any part of the body.

However, it is worth mentioning that Joao Pedro’s last absence was reportedly due to knee oedema caused by a sprain of the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.

It took him about three weeks to recover, and luckily, at the time, the international break was just around the corner. As a result, he only missed the one game against Brentford. 

If he could not return before the international break this time, he would miss four games, including the Spurs defeat.

But it would make sense if Chelsea want to be cautious in managing his injury, given he has arguably been Chelsea’s best performer so far this season.

Alonso’s decision not to use Welbeck against Spurs raises questions about his trust in Chelsea’s back-up strikers. This was another surprise, considering Welbeck has already scored three goals for the Blues this season, albeit all in the Carabao Cup.

The alternative is Emmanuel Emegha, who, according to Alonso, is still not fully ready after struggling with hamstring issues since pre-season.

Looking at how Palmer and Rogers struggled to influence the game as a front two against Tottenham, it makes sense for Alonso to rely on Welbeck amid Joao Pedro’s absence, however long it may be.

Additionally, Palmer will serve a one-match suspension for his second yellow card against Spurs, so he is not even an option for the Carabao Cup fourth-round trip to Liverpool on Wednesday.