Xabi Alonso has insisted he will celebrate if Chelsea score against his former club Liverpool in the Carabao Cup at Anfield. The Blues must do it without star Brazilian striker Joao Pedro, who faces weeks on the sidelines with a thigh problem picked up in training on the eve of Saturday's dismal 2-0 derby defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso still holds fond feelings for Liverpool, where he spent five years as a player, won the FA Cup and lifted the 2005 Champions League after scoring the equaliser against AC Milan in Istanbul. However, speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup tie, the Chelsea boss made it clear he will not copy the muted celebrations some players offer against their former clubs.
"Of course, I will celebrate, for sure," Alonso said. "With full respect because for sure, my warmth with Liverpool was there as a player. But now, I am in a different role. I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club and if we score, I will celebrate with whole respect."
### Joao Pedro injury leaves Chelsea short up front
[Pedro is set to miss the trip to Anfield](https://www.goal.com/en/news/-major-chelsea-blow-joao-pedro-injury-xabi-alonso-striker-liverpool-clash-/blta40c18bdf0523be3) and Premier League clashes with Manchester United and Sunderland, ruling the 25-year-old out until the next international break at least. That leaves Alonso with two recognised strikers: Danny Welbeck, 35, and Emmanuel Emegha, yet to appear since his summer move from Strasbourg.
Welbeck is expected to start, having only come on in the 88th minute against Spurs despite being fully fit. Alonso instead brought in Geovany Quenda and used Morgan Rogers as a false nine, but Chelsea struggled to threaten Tottenham and often resorted to hoof-and-hope tactics.
### Alonso explains Liverpool decision and backs Wirtz
Alonso could have been in the home dugout at Anfield had his managerial career taken a different path, having first been linked with Liverpool in 2024 when Jurgen Klopp was leaving. Asked about that, he said: "Well at that time, I was at (Bayer) Leverkusen and I was aware of the situation but I decided to stay. That was my decision at the time."
Alonso managed Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen and, responding to criticism of Liverpool's £116 million signing, he said: "One of the main reasons for me being here is the time that I spent with him in Leverkusen. He was a special player. He helped me so much. I learned so much from him and now that he's in Liverpool, I'm following him and we know that the next step is always an interesting one and he's getting there."
### What next for Alonso and Chelsea?
Chelsea head to Anfield aiming to bounce back from their derby defeat, with Welbeck likely to lead the line against Alonso's old club.
The Blues then face Manchester United and Sunderland in the Premier League before the international break, and Alonso will have to find goals without Pedro in all three games.
Working as a football journalist was my first childhood dream. I became a journalist and a member of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, but covering topics far from the world of sports until the opportunity came in early 2020 when I joined Kooora, and then GOAL.
My memories with football began with Zinedine Zidane's historic triumph in the 1998 World Cup and France's unforgettable win over Brazil in the final, along with the Egyptian league matches and the rivalry between Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily during that era.
I don't support a specific team in Europe, but I enjoyed watching Milan with "Maldini, Gattuso, Kaka, Pirlo" and was amazed by Barcelona with "Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar, Villa, Messi, Suarez", before following Mohamed Salah in his exceptional career with Fiorentina, Roma, and Liverpool.
My unforgettable sports moment was Mohamed Aboutrika's goal in Al Ahly's victory over Sfaxien in the 2006 CAF Champions League final.
**My ideal lineup:** Buffon; Cafu - Van Dijk - Maldini - Roberto Carlos; Pirlo - Zidane - Iniesta - Kaka; Cristiano Ronaldo - Messi