Xabi Alonso has delivered an injury update ahead of Chelsea's match against Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues will be missing several key figures when they host Roberto De Zerbi's team at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, though most of the primary squad remains ready for action.
Addressing the media at their Cobham training facility on Friday, Alonso first confirmed that Emi Martínez had successfully undergone surgery on the fractured jaw he sustained during the 2-0 victory over Everton. The Chelsea goalkeeper required hospitalization after a collision with Jarrad Branthwaite.
"He's been better; he had the surgery. We still need to wait," said the Blues manager, via football.london. "[He will be out for] a few weeks. Hopefully less than more. We need to wait."
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Alonso also gave updates on Malo Gusto and Pep Chavarría, who both sat out last weekend's match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium due to illness and injury, respectively. The Spaniard said: "Malo is fine. Pep is training a little bit more, but he is not going to make it."
Alonso was also questioned about Emmanuel Emegha, who has yet to appear for Chelsea this season. The 23-year-old forward, who joined from RC Strasbourg in the summer, originally picked up a hamstring issue during a preseason friendly against Bromley before experiencing a setback during his recovery process.
"He is feeling better, but we need to wait," said the Blues manager, keeping his cards close to his chest. Alonso did not provide an update on Reece James, who recently picked up a knee injury in training, or Jamie Gittens, who's still nursing an ankle injury, but neither is expected to be available for selection on Saturday.
With Martínez sidelined, Mike Penders will have the opportunity to stake a claim for a permanent spot in the starting lineup. When asked about the 21-year-old goalkeeper, the former Liverpool midfielder said: "He's ready.
"He's been training well. He has shown he has a good level. When he came on, in a few minutes, he showed his personality and qualities. That is why we have a squad to be ready for these situations."
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Alonso added: "We wanted to have the best possible options, and we decided to move with Emi. Mike is a keeper for now and the future. Working with Emi, he's having a great impact on the team and Mike."
On the comparisons between Penders and Thibaut Courtois, the Chelsea boss said: "A lot of similarities. Not just the nationality, but the stature. I spoke with Thibaut as well at the World Cup. He said himself he could see resemblances with Mike."
Chelsea have cruised to victory in each of their last six Premier League meetings with Tottenham. Alonso said: "Every derby is special.
"You feel the energy, the excitement from the stands. We need that energy to be used on the pitch.
"We need to have a good mentality for that and good emotional control. There's a lot of passion from both sides."