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Chelsea halted their poor run of form by hammering third-tier side Port Vale last weekend, but face a stern test this Sunday when they welcome Manchester City to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
The Blues had suffered four consecutive defeats before their 7–0 FA Cup rout, including back-to-back shutout losses against Newcastle United and Everton, which has damaged their prospects of securing a Champions League spot next season.
A standout display will be needed to overcome Pep Guardiola's in-form Cityzens, who have rediscovered their free-flowing football with impressive wins over Arsenal and Liverpool. However, Chelsea will be forced to manage without one of their most influential players for the clash.
Enzo Fernández, who scored a crucial late equalizer in the corresponding fixture earlier this season, will be absent for Sunday's showdown at Stamford Bridge, and his absence is expected to be keenly felt.
Why Is Fernández Not Playing Against Man City?
Chelsea will line up without Fernández on Sunday after the club internally disciplined the midfielder for remarks he made about a potential Real Madrid move during the international break. Having been handed a two-match ban by the club, he is set to return to the squad next weekend for the fixture against Manchester United.
Liam Rosenior stated that Fernández's comments expressing a desire to move to Madrid amid transfer speculation had "crossed the line," disclosing the player's ban ahead of last weekend's FA Cup quarterfinal victory.
Fernández's absence went largely unnoticed during the seven-goal triumph, but it will be far more significant against a high-flying Premier League title contender—with Guardiola's side particularly fired up following Arsenal's loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.
Ahead of the City fixture, Rosenior confirmed that Fernández had expressed remorse over his remarks, but that the 25-year-old would still be unavailable for City's visit.
"I had three or four [conversations] with Enzo," Rosenior told reporters on Friday. "He's apologized to me, he's apologized to the club, and we'll address that after a huge game on Sunday.
"It was a serious meeting about something very serious. I'm not questioning Enzo's character or who he is as a person. We've made a sanction, we made a decision—I made a decision—and what I want for Enzo is for him to come here and have an outstanding career."