Emiliano Martínez is hoping to beat his own recovery timetable after jaw surgery, but Mike Penders is expected to stay between the posts when Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime.

Encouraging signs for the first choice keeper

Martínez has not played since he was carried off on a stretcher at Everton a fortnight ago. The Argentine broke his jaw in a collision with Jarrad Branthwaite during the 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and needed an operation afterwards.

At the time, the goalkeeper said he would be “back in a few weeks”, and Xabi Alonso repeated that estimate before the Tottenham game. According to the Evening Standard, there is now optimism inside the club that he could be fit earlier than first planned. No return date has been given, and Chelsea have not put out any fresh update on his recovery.

His absence has been felt. Martínez cost £7.5 million from Aston Villa in the summer and had started six Premier League games in a row before the injury. We covered his own assessment after surgery earlier this month.

Penders answers his critics at Anfield

The 21 year old Belgian has had a turbulent introduction. His full Premier League debut against Tottenham will be remembered for the own goal, when a punch at a Mateus Fernandes corner ended up in his own net in a 2-0 home defeat.

Wednesday night at Anfield was a different story. The official Chelsea match report credits him with a strong low stop to deny Cody Gakpo before the break, a save from a close range Ronald Araujo header around the hour, and a sharp reaction to turn a deflected Bradley Barcola shot around the post.

He then went the right way in sudden death to keep out Ryan Gravenberch’s penalty with the shootout level at 5-5. It was not enough, as Emmanuel Emegha and Wesley Fofana both failed to score and Liverpool went through 6-5, but the display did a lot to settle the doubts that followed the Spurs game. You can read our full report from Anfield here.

The Standard reports that Penders is set to keep his place for the visit of Michael Carrick’s side, which kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday 31 October.

A crowded treatment room before United

Martínez is far from the only absentee. Football London lists Reece James and Joao Pedro among the players who will miss the game, while Maxence Lacroix is a doubt after leaving Anfield at half-time with a hamstring problem. Jamie Gittens and Pep Chavarria are still recovering too.

There is some better news in attack. Cole Palmer’s red card against Tottenham has already been dealt with, because he served the suspension in the cup tie, so he is available again for the league.

Chelsea go into the weekend fifth in the Premier League table, yet they have managed only one clean sheet so far this season. Whoever wears the gloves on Saturday, that is a number Alonso will want to improve quickly.

In other news…

Chelsea are still waiting on the verdict on Lacroix’s hamstring ahead of the United game.