LONDON — Manchester City aim to boost their title aspirations when they visit Chelsea on Sunday in a match between sides dealing with intrasquad drama.
For second-place City (18-5-7, 61 points), the focus has surrounded the future of captain Bernardo Silva to the point of overshadowing the pursuit of leaders Arsenal.
Earlier this week, manager Pep Guardiola’s assistant Pep Lijnders suggested the versatile 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder would be departing following the season, Reuters reported.
While Guardiola pledged his desire to see the former AS Monaco man extend his City tenure beyond his ninth season, he also expressed gratitude for contributions that have spanned six Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League crown.
“I have said many times, in the big games it is not about playing good or bad, it is about being yourself and being not afraid. We have had this since day one when he arrived from Monaco,” Guardiola said.
“He has been an incredible signing for us, incredible. I love this club and I would love if he could stay and finish his career here, but I do not know. He will decide what he will decide. It is his decision.”
As for Chelsea (13-9-9, 48 points), boss Liam Rosenior is navigating fallout from remarks by defensive midfielder Enzo Fernandez that some interpreted as a desire to move to Real Madrid.
The 25-year-old Argentine will serve the second of a two-match, team-imposed ban against City. But going forward, Rosenior says any issues with the fourth-year Chelsea player have been resolved.
“I said from every single step along this way, I’m not questioning Enzo’s character, I’m not questioning who he is as a person,” Rosenior said.
“I believe people make mistakes and you can’t overstep the punishment for the mistake. I think we’ve made a sanction, we made a decision, I made a decision, and what I want for Enzo is for him to come on here and have an outstanding career.”
Both teams return to league play having encountered setbacks before the March international break.
City slayed Arsenal 2-0 to win the Carabao Cup on March 22, then romped past Liverpool 4-0 in last weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final.
However, Guardiola’s men settled for draws against West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their last two league fixtures and enter the weekend nine points back of the Gunners with seven matches to play and one in hand.
It’s been even worse for sixth-place Chelsea, who followed a promising start under Rosenior this winter with four consecutive losses heading into the break, two in the league and two in a round-of-16 Champions League thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
The Blues are coming off a 7-0 rout of Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals last weekend and are one point behind fifth-place Liverpool.
