Chelsea caretaker boss Frank Lampard has confirmed that centre-back Benoit Badiashile is ruled out of Sunday's Premier League trip to the Etihad Stadium to face leaders Manchester City.
The 22-year-old has sustained a groin injury in training and will join Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella (all hamstring), Armando Broja (knee), N'Golo Kante (groin) and Mason Mount (pelvic) in the treatment room.
Meanwhile, Kalidou Koulibaly is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a hamstring problem that has forced him to miss the last six games, but the defender is a doubt for Sunday, as is Mateo Kovacic who came off at half time in last weekend's 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest with an unspecified issue that he was carrying prior to kickoff.
In the absence of Badiashile, Wesley Fofana could be recalled to start alongside Thiago Silva, and Trevoh Chalobah may join them if Lampard decides to revert to a back three.
Between the sticks, Lampard opted to hand goalkeeper Edouard Mendy his first start since the World Cup break against Forest, but after making a costly mistake for the first goal, the Senegalese could be replaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
With Chelsea short of full-back options, academy graduate Lewis Hall could retain his place in the starting lineup on the left, with either Chalobah or Cesar Azpilicueta operating on the opposite side; Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also an option to start at right wing-back if he is not utilised in centre-midfield.
Ever-present midfielder Enzo Fernandez is likely to be joined in the middle of the pitch by Conor Gallagher, while Kai Havertz and former Man City man Raheem Sterling – who scored a brace against Forest – could start together as a front two or be joined in attack by one of Joao Felix, Noni Madueke, Mykhaylo Mudryk or Hakim Ziyech.
Chelsea possible starting lineup: Kepa; Chalobah, Silva, W. Fofana; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Fernandez, Gallagher, Hall; Sterling, Havertz
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Oliver Thomas
