Chelsea have been handed a clear setback after Emiliano Martínez required emergency surgery on a fractured jaw suffered against Everton last weekend. Xabi Alonso stopped short of offering a firm comeback date, saying the goalkeeper should be back in “a few weeks.”

Martínez also posted from the hospital after the operation and gave the same broad assessment of his recovery, saying he would be “back in a few weeks.” Alonso confirmed that the injury was not limited to the jaw issue, adding that Martínez suffered a concussion. Under English Football Association rules, that means he is ruled out for at least 14 days.

Speaking on the eve of Saturday’s London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, Alonso said the goalkeeper was progressing well but still needed time.

“He’s doing better,” Alonso said. “He had the surgery, and day by day, he’s feeling better, but we still need to wait.”

“Few weeks, few weeks,” he repeated about Martínez’s projected return. “Hopefully less than more, but we need to wait. The good thing is that he’s feeling better and that he wants to listen to his feelings, the opinion of the doctors, the specialists, the surgeons. Considering it was a bad one, he’s doing good.”

With Martínez unavailable, 21-year-old Mike Penders is set to take over for Chelsea in the coming matches. The Belgian made his first Premier League appearance when he replaced Martínez late against Everton, producing one save as Chelsea recorded their first clean sheet of the league season.

Penders began the campaign as Robert Sánchez’s deputy and remained second choice after Martínez arrived and Sánchez moved on to Como. Chelsea have long viewed him as a major talent after signing him as a teenager in the summer of 2024, and Alonso believes he is ready for the step up.

“He’s ready,” Alonso stated. “He’s been training well, he’s played a couple of cup games where he showed that he has a good level, even the day when he came on against Everton, in a few minutes he showed his personality, his qualities. That’s why we have a squad to be ready for these kinds of situations, and we are fully convinced that Mike can play very well.”

Alonso also said Penders is a goalkeeper for both the present and the future, and noted the support he has received by working alongside Martínez. The comparison to Thibaut Courtois has also been made before, with Alonso again underlining the similarities in size, style and left-footedness.

The Premier League returns after another midweek round of continental action involving nine English clubs, and Gameweek 8 arrives with little room for recovery. Several of the league’s biggest sides are back in action quickly, while a number of awkward fixtures could shape the standings before the weekend is over.

Friday’s opener at Portman Road looks finely balanced. Ipswich Town have collected nine points from seven matches and have taken two-thirds of that tally at home, with wins over Sunderland and Fulham lifting them to 10th. Nottingham Forest, however, arrive with their own issues, and goals have been difficult to come by for the Tricky Trees. A draw feels the likeliest outcome.

Aston Villa’s meeting with Man City is one of the standout fixtures on Saturday. Villa have won five of their last six, while City have maintained a perfect Premier League run, though their domestic record remains surrounded by uncertainty off the pitch. Even so, their form under Pep Guardiola has been efficient, and with Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden in encouraging touch, they are tipped to edge it.

Arsenal are expected to keep pace at the top with a home win over Everton. The Gunners remain defensively solid, even if their attack will be without Bukayo Saka, while Everton are likely to sit deep and counter through Thierno Barry, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish.

Chelsea’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur closes Saturday and the home side look strong favourites. Spurs have won only once at Stamford Bridge in 25 years, while Chelsea have scored 17 goals in seven matches under Xabi Alonso. João Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers have all been in form.

Elsewhere, Liverpool’s meeting with Brighton has the feel of a high-scoring draw, Man Utd are predicted to share the points with Bournemouth, and Sunderland’s test against Leeds United could be decided by fatigue after their trip to Poland.

Chelsea left Hill Dickinson Stadium with three points after a narrow win over Everton, but the afternoon was defined as much by concern as celebration. Pedro Neto scored twice for the first Premier League brace of his career, yet the sight of Emiliano Martínez leaving on a stretcher after a nasty head injury dominated the closing stages and lingered after the final whistle.

The breakthrough arrived seconds after the restart, when Jorrel Hato burst down the left and delivered a low cross into the area. Neto met it to finish off the move and reward Chelsea for a spell of possession that had hinted at control without truly delivering it.

The second goal came deep into stoppage time, when Neto reacted to a loose ball after a free kick and guided it into the corner to settle the contest. It ensured Chelsea collected back-to-back victories and, importantly, their first clean sheet in nine months.

Even so, this was not a commanding display. Chelsea were still exposed when Everton broke forward, and Thierno Barry might have altered the story had he shown more composure in front of goal. There were encouraging signs in a more balanced performance under Xabi Alonso, though the team remain prone to defensive lapses.

Martínez, who has faced scrutiny since arriving from Aston Villa in the summer, offered a reminder of his value with a couple of solid saves and assured distribution before injury cut short what had been a promising outing. With his condition now the main concern, 21-year-old Mike Penders is set to build on the clean sheet Chelsea have finally managed to secure.

There were also notable individual displays elsewhere. Josh Acheampong led Chelsea’s defensive efforts, Maxence Lacroix recovered well after a shaky previous outing, while Moisés Caicedo and Morgan Rogers added strong work without the ball. Neto, though, was the clear difference-maker on the afternoon.