Chelsea captain Reece James was a surprise absentee from the matchday squad for Saturday's Premier League fixture against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, with manager Xabi Alonso confirming the defender suffered a fresh injury setback in training.
Speaking to broadcasters ahead of kick-off, Alonso revealed that James had picked up a minor problem during Friday's training session, forcing him out of contention for the home game against the Cherries.
"Unfortunately, Reece picked up a little injury yesterday (Friday), so let's see the tests to assess it," Alonso told Sky Sports.
The setback is a frustrating one for James, who has endured a lengthy history of fitness issues in recent seasons and had been working his way back into regular contention under Alonso's management. The club will now await the results of medical assessments to determine the severity of the issue and how long the England international might be sidelined.
While James's absence was the standout team news heading into the match, Alonso did receive a boost elsewhere in his squad. Moises Caicedo returned to the starting lineup for the first time this season, having been troubled by a calf problem that has disrupted the early months of his campaign. The Ecuadorian midfielder initially sustained the injury in August, which caused him to miss the start of the season entirely. He attempted a comeback against Brighton in late August but was forced off after just 14 minutes with a recurrence of the same issue.
Alonso expressed his relief at having Caicedo available again, while also stressing the need for patience as the midfielder works his way back to full sharpness after such an extended period out of action.
"We are really happy that finally Moi is back in the Premier League," Alonso said. "He is a top-class player and we were missing him. So now we need to help him with his feeling on the pitch. The same for Joao Pedro as well. This is how we have used the time in the international break."
The comments suggest that both Caicedo and Joao Pedro have been carefully managed during the recent international break, with the coaching staff using the pause in domestic fixtures to build up their fitness and match sharpness ahead of a busy run of games.
Aside from James's late withdrawal, the other players who had been subject to fitness checks were all included in Alonso's squad for the Bournemouth match. Three of them started the game, while Palestra was named among the substitutes.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, arrived at Stamford Bridge with their own injury concerns, missing three key players in Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi and Justin Kluivert. The Cherries have shown themselves to be a difficult side to break down this season, and Chelsea will have been wary of the threat posed by Andoni Iraola's team despite their own squad's absentees.
James's injury adds to the growing list of fitness issues that have affected the Chelsea squad throughout the early part of the season, though the return of Caicedo offers Alonso a timely boost in midfield as the team looks to build momentum in the Premier League table.
Further updates on James's condition are expected in the coming days as Chelsea's medical staff complete their assessment of the injury sustained in Friday's training session.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.