Moises Caicedo
Moises Caicedo did not take part in Chelsea's open training session on Wednesday(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside)
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Moises Caicedo did not take part in Chelsea's open training session on Wednesday afternoon.
The Blues streamed the first 15 minutes of their preparations on Wednesday on CFC+, but Caicedo was nowhere to be seen. The Ecuador international played three games in the space of seven days last week - accumulating a total of 245 minutes (not including stoppage time).
The 25-year-old returned from a calf injury in the first game back from the first international break of the season after spending more than a month out of action. There is a chance, of course, that Caicedo is on a different schedule to his teammates because of his fitness concerns this season but his absence from open training has left supporters worried ahead of this weekend's trip to Sunderland.
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However, Xabi Alonso has been boosted by three players returning to the grass at the club's Cobham training base.
Emiliano Martinez joined his Chelsea teammates on a gloomy Wednesday in Surrey. The Argentine goalkeeper has been out of action since fracturing his jaw - and then having surgery - in the win over Everton last month. Martinez could be seen wearing a lower face protective mask during the session.
Elsewhere, Aaron Anselmino, who is yet to play for Chelsea this season, has recovered from his injury and joined his colleagues at Cobham. A welcome boost for Alonso, who has been left rather short in the centre-back department due to the hamstring injury Maxence Lacroix sustained at Anfield last week that could keep him out for the remainder of the calendar year.
Jordan Henderson was also spotted in Chelsea's training session as he prepares for a trip to his old stomping ground, the Stadium of Light, on Sunday afternoon. Henderson missed Saturday afternoon's win over Manchester United due to illness but appears to be - more or less - back to normal now.
Lacroix (hamstring), Joao Pedro (thigh) and Reece James (knee), as expected, were not involved during Chelsea's Wednesday session.
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