Xabi Alonso pledged to celebrate if Chelsea score against his old side Liverpool – but his team will have to do that without their star striker, Joao Pedro, who faces weeks on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old Brazilian picked up a thigh problem in their final training session the day before losing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s dismal derby defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Pedro is now set to miss their trip to Anfield in the Carabao Cup, followed by Premier League clashes with Manchester United and Sunderland before the next international break at least.

While Alonso still holds fond feelings for Liverpool, where he won the 2005 Champions League and scored the equaliser against AC Milan in Istanbul, he will not copy the muted celebrations of some players facing their former clubs. ‘Of course, I will celebrate, for sure,’ Chelsea’s manager said.

‘With full respect because for sure, my warmth with Liverpool was there as a player. But now, I am in a different role. I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club and if we score, I will celebrate with whole respect.’

Joao Pedro’s injury leaves Chelsea with striker options in Emmanuel Emegha – the 23-year-old who has yet to appear since signing from Strasbourg in the summer – and Danny Welbeck, 35.

Welbeck is expected to start at Anfield, where Alonso could have been coaching the home side instead of the visitors had his managerial career gone in a different direction.

Alonso was first linked with Liverpool in 2024 when Jurgen Klopp was leaving, but when asked about that, Chelsea’s manager said: ‘Well at that time, I was at (Bayer) Leverkusen and I was aware of the situation but I decided to stay. That was my decision at the time.’

Alonso managed Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen, and on the criticism of Liverpool’s £116million signing, he said: ‘One of the main reasons for me being here is the time that I spent with him in Leverkusen. He was a special player. He helped me so much. I learned so much from him and now that he's in Liverpool, I'm following him and we know that the next step is always an interesting one and he's getting there.’

When Joao Pedro was sidelined for the 2-0 loss to Tottenham, Alonso brought Geovany Quenda into his side, with Morgan Rogers used as a false nine up front. It did not work as Chelsea struggled to threaten Spurs, often relying on hoof-and-hope tactics despite having no striker. Welbeck was only brought on in the 88th minute but is fully fit.

READ MORE: Xabi Alonso has lost goodwill of Chelsea fans with his tactical disaster against Spurs... they cannot be considered title contenders with so little authority and ingenuity, writes KIERAN GILL