How Chelsea could line up against Leicester City

Chelsea must make do without the services of Enzo Fernandez for their FA Cup quarter-final against Leicester City on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

During the Blues' 3-2 win over Leeds United in round five, the Argentinian picked up his second booking of the 2023-24 competition, thus ruling him out of this one through suspension.

Fernandez is one of two ineligible midfielders for Mauricio Pochettino - the other being the cup-tied Cesare Casadei - while Wesley Fofana (knee), Reece James (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Levi Colwill (toe), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Christopher Nkunku (thigh) are still missing too.

However, Benoit Badiashile (groin) and ex-Leicester defender Ben Chilwell (knee) have both resumed team training and are in contention to make their comebacks in the quarter-final, but Pochettino may err on the side of caution with both men given their previous fitness woes.

As a result, Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Axel Disasi and Marc Cucurella are primed to line up in an unchanged back four, but an alteration in goal should see Robert Sanchez reclaim the gloves from Djordje Petrovic.

With Fernandez banned, Conor Gallagher should drop into a deeper role to support Moises Caicedo, allowing Cole Palmer - fresh from scoring his 11th Premier League goal of the season in Monday's win over Newcastle United - to operate in the number 10 position.

Raheem Sterling, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson should complete the Blues' attacking quartet against the Championship leaders; Noni Madueke started the fifth-round win over Leeds but was withdrawn just after the hour mark.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Mudryk, Palmer, Sterling; Jackson