Chelsea XI vs Brentford: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Premier League

Xabi Alonso has decided to keep Brentford guessing as he refused to reveal whether Chelsea striker Joao Pedro would be fit for Friday’s trip to the Gtech Community Stadium.Alonso was then expected to confirm in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon if Joao Pedro would be part of Chelsea’s squad against Brentford.“We will see tomorrow if he's ready to play and we will make a decision,” Alonso said when asked for an update on Joao Pedro’s fitness on Thursday.Caicedo has not played since he was forced off injured 13 minutes after coming on to make a short-lived first appearance of the season during Chelsea’s 4-3 win over Brighton last month.Captain James, meanwhile, was not pictured in training on Tuesday, albeit the media only had access to the first 15 minutes of the session.Injury doubt: Chelsea could well be without key striker Joao Pedro against BrentfordGettyMarco Palestra, Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha will all also be assessed, with Alonso keen to keep Chelsea’s matchday squad under wraps.Last week, Alonso said that he hoped to have all three of Chelsea’s summer signings available to make their competitive debuts against Brentford.Read MoreThe Spaniard reverted to a four-man defence against Hull, but could shift back to his favoured 3-4-2-1 formation to try to help Chelsea defend Brentford’s pace out wide.There are also decisions to make in midfield, with Alonso struggling to settle on a double pivot combination he can trust in the absence of Caicedo.Predicted Chelsea XI: Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Gusto, Lavia, Hato; Palmer, Welbeck, RogersDoubts: Joao Pedro, Caicedo, James, Palestra, Henderson, EmeghaTime and date: 8pm BST on Friday September 18, 2026Venue: Gtech Community Stadium