Xabi Alonso gives Emi Martinez recovery timeline after horror head injury

Martinez making progress after surgery

Xabi Alonso has provided an encouraging update on Emi Martinez, who suffered a serious head injury in Chelsea's 2-0 win at Everton last weekend. The Argentinian goalkeeper was rushed to hospital after a sickening collision with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, clashing heads as Martinez came off his line to collect an aerial cross.

Martinez received oxygen on the pitch and was carried off on a stretcher more than eight minutes after the collision. Alonso confirmed after the match that the goalkeeper was conscious. Martinez has since undergone successful surgery and shared an update from his hospital bed on Instagram, saying he expects to be "back in a few weeks".

Alonso added: "He's doing better. He had the surgery and day by day he's feeling better but we still need to wait. Few weeks. Hopefully less than more but we need to wait. The good thing is he's feeling better. He needs to listen to the opinion of the doctors and his surgeons but considering that it was a bad one, he's doing good."

Penders gets his chance

Martinez's absence opens the door for second-choice goalkeeper Mike Penders, 21, to get an extended run in the side. The Belgian spent last season on loan at sister club Strasbourg and made his Premier League debut off the bench at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last week. He is expected to start when Chelsea host struggling Tottenham in a London derby on Saturday.

"He's ready," said Alonso. "He's been training well, he's played a couple of cup games where he's showed he has a good level. When he came on against Everton, he showed his personality, his qualities, so that's why we have a squad to be ready for these kind of situations and we are fully convinced that Mike can play very well."

Penders has drawn comparisons with countryman and former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, something Alonso acknowledged. "A lot [of similarities]," he said. "Not just the nationality, but the stature, both-footed, both dominant in the air. I spoke with Thibaut as well at the World Cup asking about Mike. He said himself he could see resemblances with Mike."

"We need to help him and support him, but he is the keeper for the present and the future," Alonso said.

Injury news elsewhere in the squad

Pep Chavarria remains absent despite increasing his training load, while Malo Gusto has recovered from the illness that forced him to miss the Everton trip. Emmanuel Emegha is also still sidelined.