Chelsea: Alonso gives update on Marco Palestra injury

Xabi Alonso confirmed on the eve of Chelsea's Premier League meeting with Hull City that Marco Palestra remains a doubt, with a quad injury that has kept the summer signing from Atalanta out of every competitive fixture since his move.

"The injury is something on the quad. He's almost in the last stages of the recovery, so we will see. If not Brentford, then Bournemouth for sure," Alonso said.

Palestra picked up the problem in training before the season-opener at Fulham, having impressed Chelsea's coaching staff during pre-season, including on the club's tour of south-east Asia. The wait for a debut has left him short of patience, by Alonso's account.

"He's quite frustrated after a very good pre-season not to be able to play and to make his debut in the Premier League. But I told Marco, 'Easy, the season is long, there will be a lot of games, and you will play your role, you will have your minutes, you will enjoy your game.' He is full of energy, and you need to control that," Alonso said.

Moises Caicedo will also sit out the Hull fixture. The 24-year-old midfielder missed the Fulham opener, returned as a substitute against Brighton and lasted only 14 minutes before a recurrence forced him off again during Chelsea's 4-3 win. He has since missed the games against Arsenal and Leeds.

"Not yet, we'll see for Brentford. We're not at a moment to take risks with him. Not yet; we are not yet," Alonso said.

Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha, neither of whom has yet made a competitive appearance since arriving this summer, are also out for Saturday. "Not tomorrow. We hope they can be for Brentford, but we'll see," Alonso said.

Chelsea have scored 15 goals in their first five matches under Alonso, Hull arrive at Stamford Bridge having conceded nothing in three league matches against Manchester United, Coventry and Aston Villa. "They deserve to be where they are," Alonso said of the promoted side's start.

With Caicedo, Palestra, Henderson and Emegha all pointed instead towards the Brentford fixture, Chelsea's squad options for the games either side of the international break look set to change quickly, even if Saturday's team is shaped by who is missing Rather than who returns.