According to a report by Evening Standard on Saturday October 31, 2026, Jordan Henderson was a surprise absentee from Chelsea's squad for their Premier League clash against Manchester United after falling ill during the week.

The experienced midfielder was left out of the matchday squad at Stamford Bridge, despite becoming an important figure under manager Xabi Alonso in recent weeks.

Henderson had completed the full 90 minutes in each of Chelsea's previous five matches across all competitions, with his last appearance coming in Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat against Liverpool.

However, the 35-year-old was not fit enough to feature against Manchester United after developing a fever.

Speaking to TNT Sports before kick-off, Alonso confirmed that the midfielder was unavailable because of illness rather than an injury.

"He is ill, no injury, but he was not feeling well yesterday, and today he had a fever," the Chelsea manager explained.

In Henderson's absence, Alonso opted for Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo as his central midfield pairing against the Red Devils.

The midfielder's absence adds to Chelsea's growing list of unavailable players, with Joao Pedro, Emiliano Martinez, Maxence Lacroix, Jorrel Hato, Reece James, Jamie Gittens and Aaron Anselmino also missing the encounter through various fitness problems.

Chelsea entered the match looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats against Tottenham and Liverpool, while Manchester United travelled to Stamford Bridge hoping to end their eight-match winless run.

Henderson's absence therefore represents another selection challenge for Alonso as Chelsea attempt to return to winning ways.