Chelsea said the Brazilian striker sustained a thigh injury in training before their weekend match against Tottenham Hotspur and will miss Wednesday’s fourth-round tie at Anfield. His absence leaves Alonso considering how best to reshape the attack, with Emegha back in contention after recovering from a hamstring problem.
“For sure it’s important that we have him available because he has special qualities,” Alonso said of Emegha. “He needs to feel fully fit. He has been training for the last two weeks, ten days, in a good way that has allowed him to build a strong base of fitness.
“Now, gradually, we want to see him and maybe tomorrow he has the chance to play.”
Danny Welbeck is another option in the centre-forward role. The summer arrival has scored three times in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup campaign, including in the victories over Luton Town and Leeds United, and Alonso outlined the qualities he believes the striker brings to the side.
“Danny’s good being between the centre-backs. He’s good connecting with the players around him as a reference, and when the players around him support him.
“When he's close to the box, he’s a goal threat because he has this intelligence to find the right spot. We need to reach those areas where he's more productive – those are the best qualities of Danny.”
Alonso could also use another attacker through the middle, as he did when Morgan Rogers played in a more advanced role against Tottenham. The Chelsea manager said he was assessing the available players and how their qualities could work together, rather than simply replacing one striker with another.
“There are the strikers, but there are other players that can play in that position,” he said. “We need to find the right balance between the things they are good at and how they connect with the other players.
“We tried with Morgan playing close to Cole [Palmer], and sometimes we need to be creative and try a few things to see if they are going to work well.”
The injury is a significant setback for Chelsea, with Alonso confirming that João Pedro is expected to be unavailable for “a few weeks”. The manager said the club would not try to predict an exact return date, but would have to find ways to remain competitive while one of their key attacking players is absent.
Emegha’s return gives Alonso another option, although the forward has yet to make his Chelsea debut. The manager’s comments suggest he will consider the striker’s fitness alongside Welbeck’s strengths and the possibility of using a different attacking combination.
The trip to Anfield will also be a return to a familiar stadium for Alonso, who enjoyed success there as a Liverpool player. His immediate challenge, however, is to find an effective forward line for the cup tie and the run of matches that follows.