Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says his side are focused entirely on the Premier League ahead of tomorrow's eagerly anticipated clash against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. He stressed the importance of rediscovering winning form after recent setbacks against Tottenham in the Premier League and Liverpool in the League Cup over the past week.
Alonso spoke about the top-of-the-table showdown at his press conference today, as reported by "Sky Sports": "We are back once again in the Premier League atmosphere, and for me it is the main and most important competition for us this year, and almost every year. It is a big match. We did not have a lot of time to prepare, but it is very important, after the last match we played at home, to keep winning and to recover that winning feeling."
On his side's development, he added: "As soon as we left Liverpool, we started thinking about the United match. I saw a better version of us on Wednesday compared to what we produced on Saturday, even if the result was not as we wanted on both occasions. This is a journey in which you go through difficult moments and we have to learn from them."
Asked about young Estevao's lack of appearances this season, Alonso flatly denied any intention to loan him out in January: "Yes, definitely, he will play. The season is long and there will be opportunities for everyone, and he will get his minutes for sure. We are still at the start of the season but he will be present."
The Chelsea manager went on to explain: "It is not about his effort, but about the context of the matches. He is a great lad. We are still in October and he will have an important role. It is no secret that all players want to be on the pitch and to play, and I take responsibility for that. Everyone has to be ready, and every match has its importance. Estevao is training well and his attitude is very positive."
Alonso also revealed the nature of the injury to defender Maxence Lacroix, who left the pitch during Chelsea's League Cup exit to Liverpool: "Max suffered an injury, and we expect him not to be available before the next international break, as he will be out for several weeks."
Could goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez return before the international break? "Yes, there is a chance of his return," Alonso said. "We have to wait during next week and see how things go, and if he is ready to play he will most likely wear a face mask."
Manchester United counterpart Michael Carrick now faces the threat of the sack, with his side winless in their last eight matches across all competitions. Alonso offered nothing but respect: "I have a lot of respect for him, and I have great sympathy for Michael as a manager. I know him well, as we faced each other as players on the pitch previously, but beyond that, it is not my place to comment on the details of his affairs."
On the challenge United pose, he added: "In any circumstances, we have to prepare in the same way. We only control what we can control, which is our way of preparing, our decisions, and our mentality. United have a strong squad, outstanding players and good managers, so it will be a very difficult match, and we will have to be at our highest level and in our best version to achieve the win."
Alonso also revealed a conversation with Cole Palmer about discipline on the pitch following the forward's recent red card against Tottenham: "We have already talked about the match and about the things he can develop for himself, which is something we do constantly. And of course, we do not want the sending-off scenario to happen again."
He signed off by praising the player's mentality: "In our conversation we focused more on the footballing side and what we need on the pitch, because Cole has great footballing intelligence, and he loves the game and enjoys it, and this was the main focus of our discussion."