Caicedo has made only one appearance this season due to injury, but the prolonged pause for international football allowed him to fully recover ahead of the Premier League's return.

As a former midfielder, Alonso knows all too well how pivotal the work done in the centre of the pitch is. Our manager detailed the different ways in which Caicedo helps the Blues in that department, while also acknowledging he has room to get even better.

‘With the midfielders, I have a soft spot, and with Moi, for sure,’ Alonso said.

‘We are all happier when we see Moi on the pitch. Not just myself, his team-mates as well. They are happy to see him not just because he’s a great player; everyone loves Moi because of how generous he is with his effort, how much he helps each of the team-mates, and how important he is.

‘He has a very important role in the team because of the balance he gives, because of the many qualities he has, and he's in a moment where he needs to keep growing, to keep learning.

‘I'm really excited about working with him and having him on the pitch and after each game, getting together and seeing the good things, the bad things, to make him feel confident and to make him feel that he's improving his game understanding.’

Our most recent fixture, at Brentford three weeks ago now, was the day Jordan Henderson was handed his Chelsea debut after injury issues of his own.

Despite the disappointing result, Henderson didn’t look out of place, and this further break from match action has allowed him to spend more time on the training pitch acclimatising to his team-mates and Alonso’s way of working.

‘He didn't want many days off,’ Alonso said of Henderson’s involvement since the Brentford game. ‘For him it was important to have the feeling of being back on the pitch after missing pre-season, missing the first games, and to feel how his arm was feeling and to have that confidence.

‘It was important to unlock those first minutes on the pitch. That he was playing that tempo, that intensity for 90 minutes, it was good, and I think that now it will be getting better.

‘We need the right players in terms of quality, in terms of personality, and Hendo has great personality, great experience in the league. Now we have had more time with him, he can connect very well with the players.’