Chelsea make two changes against Sunderland, with Emiliano Martínez facing fitness test

Chelsea made two changes to their lineup for the match against Sunderland, with Pep Chavarría replacing Josh Acheampong in defence and Jordan Henderson coming in for Estevao Willian. The starting lineup included Mike Penders, Marco Balestra, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Chavarría, Romeo Lavia, Moisés Caicedo, Henderson, Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto.

The report said Chelsea appeared set to play with four defenders, with Lavia and Caicedo joined by Henderson in midfield. It also noted that Danny Welbeck was absent from the lineup, and that Acheampong’s absence, alongside Maxence Lacroix’s ongoing hamstring injury, had prompted the team to change its approach.

Xabi Alonso said goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez’s involvement would depend on a final fitness test. Martínez had returned to training after surgery on his jaw for a fracture he suffered four weeks earlier, but was not included in the squad for the previous match. Alonso added that the goalkeeper was training in a mask and had got used to it, noting that he had received medical clearance after the concussion.

Alonso explained that Caicedo had felt some discomfort after the last match and that the club was awaiting an assessment of his condition, describing it as discomfort rather than a calf-muscle problem. Before the match, he said the team’s position in the league table could change quickly and that Sunderland were a difficult opponent who deserved more points than they had earned. He stressed that Chelsea needed to keep winning and progress one match at a time.