Stamford Bridge: Home of Chelsea(credit: Leigh Copson)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is yet to decide if Mario Balotelli will face Chelsea on Sunday. (kick-off 16.00 GMT)
Balotelli angered his coach by needlessly getting himself sent off during the midweek Europa League game against Dynamo Kiev, and a 1-0 victory was not enough for 10-man City to go through.
Adam Johnson makes his return from a back injury, but Pablo Zabaleta is absent due for personal reasons and Kolo Toure remains suspended.
Chelsea defender Alex has made his return to training following a knee injury but the game comes too soon for him, meaning John Terry and David Luiz will start once again at the heart of the defence.
And coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to hand recalls to Fernando Torres, Florent Malouda and Michael Essien after all three were left out of the starting XI for the midweek Champions League tie.
Last Premier League games:
Blackpool 1 CHELSEA 3: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Zhirkov (Malouda 72), Cole, Luiz, Lampard, Ramires (McEachran 75), Essien, Drogba (Kalou 55), Torres. Subs not used: Anelka, Ivanovic, Turnbull, Ferreira.
MANCHESTER CITY 1 Wigan Athletic 0: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta, Vieira, Barry, Silva (De Jong 83), Toure Yaya, Balotelli (Kolarov 68), Tevez (Dzeko 86). Not used: Taylor, Boateng, Jo, Boyata.