Is Jordan Henderson injured? Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso reveals reason behind midfielder's absence against Man United

By Ben Sully | 31 Oct 2026 13:43, Last updated: 31 Oct 2026 13:59

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has revealed Jordan Henderson has been forced to miss the location clash with Manchester United owed to illness.

After sustaining a freak wounded astatine the World Cup, Henderson had to hold until mid-September to marque his Chelsea debut.

The experienced midfielder has gone connected to marque 5 consecutive starts, including his midweek quality against his erstwhile nine Liverpool successful the EFL Cup.

Henderson netted his spot-kick successful the punishment shootout, but it was not capable arsenic Chelsea suffered a fourth-round exit. 

Alonso explains crushed down Henderson's absence

There was an anticipation that Henderson would clasp his spot successful midfield for Saturday's lunchtime kick-off against Manchester United.

As it proved, Henderson's sanction was absent from the full matchday squad, sparking fears implicit a imaginable injury.

However, Alonso rapidly allayed immoderate wounded worries erstwhile helium spoke to TNT Sports earlier the Premier League contention astatine Stamford Bridge. 

"He's ill," Alonso said. "There's nary injury, but helium was not feeling good yesterday and contiguous had a fever successful the morning, truthful helium was not feeling bully capable to travel with the team."

With Henderson sidelined, Alonso opted to commencement the contention with Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo arsenic his cardinal midfield pairing. 

Henderson targeting instrumentality for Sunderland clash

After facing Man United, Chelsea volition person 1 much Premier League crippled earlier the two-week planetary break.

The Blues volition caput connected their travels to look Sunderland astatine the Stadium of Light connected Sunday, November 8. 

While helium played against his hometown nine connected 2 occasions for Brentford past term, Henderson volition inactive beryllium hopeless to beryllium his fittingness for adjacent weekend's fixture.

There is surely a beardown accidental the Sunderland academy merchandise volition enactment up successful the Chelsea midfield, fixed that helium has implicit a week to retrieve from the unwellness that has kept him retired of the Man United clash.