Chelsea’s injury picture for the Carabao Cup tie against Leeds United has become clearer since the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, with two more names confirmed as unavailable. This update reflects the squad situation as of 18 September 2026, building on our original Chelsea injury report published earlier in the week.
Chelsea vs Leeds United team news update: 8 September 2026
Xabi Alonso must rebalance his squad after the loss at Arsenal, and the team news for the Leeds tie shows both fresh absences and one welcome return. Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra are officially ruled out of the match.
Jordan Henderson and Emmanuel Emegha remain sidelined too, so Alonso is again working with a reduced group. There is better news at the back, however, with Levi Colwill fit to return to the squad.
Caicedo and Palestra ruled out of Carabao Cup tie
Caicedo will not feature against Leeds after suffering a setback in the win over Brighton, an issue that also kept him out of the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal. He has not recovered in time for the Carabao Cup fixture, and Palestra is unavailable alongside him.
Asked directly whether the pair would be ready for the Leeds match, Alonso gave a short answer that left little room for doubt about their immediate availability.
“No, not yet.”
The manager’s response makes clear that neither Caicedo nor Palestra is close enough to be considered for selection right now. No return date has been given for either player, and Read Chelsea will not speculate beyond what Alonso has confirmed.
Levi Colwill fit to return as Henderson and Emegha remain out
Colwill’s return is the standout positive from this update. The defender is fit again and back in contention after his own spell out of the side, giving Alonso an extra option at centre-back for the Leeds game.
Henderson and Emegha are not so fortunate. Both remain unavailable, and there is no confirmed timeline for either player to rejoin full training or return to the matchday squad. Alonso’s brief comments on player fitness suggest supporters should not expect fast updates on any of the four absentees.
Chelsea vs Leeds lineup options and injury impact
With Caicedo, Palestra, Henderson and Emegha all unavailable, Alonso’s lineup options against Leeds are notably thinner in midfield and attack than they were before the Arsenal game. Colwill’s return offers the one piece of good news, adding defensive cover rather than solving the gaps further forward.
The absence of Caicedo is the most significant of the four, given his usual role in midfield, and Alonso will need alternatives to fill that space for the Carabao Cup tie. Palestra’s continued unavailability limits squad depth on top of that, while Henderson and Emegha being out reduces options elsewhere.
None of this confirms who will actually start against Leeds. Colwill being fit to return means he is available for selection, not that a starting place is guaranteed, and Read Chelsea has no further detail on Alonso’s planned team beyond the confirmed absentees.
What happens next
Alonso’s “No, not yet” answer applies specifically to Caicedo and Palestra’s readiness for the Leeds match, and he has not offered a broader timeline for when either player might return. The same applies to Henderson and Emegha, whose situations remain unchanged from earlier in the week.
Chelsea supporters have already seen how Alonso approaches squad rotation and player management during a congested period, as detailed in our earlier report on his selection choices. That pattern of careful handling looks set to continue while four first-team players remain sidelined.
Read Chelsea will update this article as soon as Alonso or the club provide further information on any of the four players. For now, the confirmed position is straightforward: Caicedo and Palestra are out for Leeds, Henderson and Emegha remain unavailable, and Colwill is back in the squad.
