Hato sidelined with back problem for Chelsea vs United

Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato will miss Saturday's match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed. The Dutch defender has a back problem and is not available, Alonso said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"How long, we don't know, but he's not available for tomorrow," Alonso said. "He has a back problem and he's not feeling okay for tomorrow."

Hato has started six of Chelsea's eight Premier League fixtures this season and was absent from the midweek Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool. The 20-year-old has three assists in 416 minutes this campaign.

Cole Palmer is available after serving a one-match suspension on Wednesday. Palmer scored a hat-trick in a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over United two years ago.

Alonso said the team must support its attackers so they are involved in the game. "So we are all just focused on playing a good game tomorrow," he added.

Chelsea sit fifth in the Premier League with 13 points from eight matches, while United are 16th with seven points.

Alonso played against United during his time at Liverpool and faced Michael Carrick, now United's manager, in many high-pressure matches. "They were top games when I was at Liverpool, and they were intense games," he recalled.