Maurizio Sarri has dropped Kepa Arrizabalaga to the Chelsea bench for tonight's Premier League clash against Tottenham following their extraordinary standoff during the EFL Cup Final.
Kepa's refusal to be replaced with penalties looming in last Sunday's EFL Cup final with City, which the Blues lost 4-3 in the shootout, overshadowed an improved performance, but prompted plenty of questions over whether Sarri had the support of his players.
Sarri spoke with director Marina Granovskaia, a key confidante of owner Roman Abramovich, prior to and after the Wembley loss.
The conversation following the defeat was about the handling of the Kepa situation, with the Blues board fining the 24-year-old a week's wages which will be donated to the Chelsea Foundation charity.
Sarri admitted that while the incident was a "big misunderstanding", he was unsure whether Kepa would start against Spurs - and the coach has decided to drop the keeper to the bench, with Willy Caballero starting.
Sarri made four changes to the side which lost at Wembley as the Blues played their first league game since the 6-0 loss at the Etihad Stadium, a result that left Sarri's position as head coach precarious.
Gonzalo Higuain returned up front, with Willian making way and Eden Hazard moving to his preferred left wing role. Mateo Kovacic and Marcos Alonso also came in for Ross Barkley and Emerson Palmieri respectively.
Spurs, who lost at Burnley on Saturday, made four changes, with Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth, Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen out and Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies and Erik Lamela coming in.
Chelsea XI: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Willian, Christensen
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Lamela, Son, Kane
Subs: Rose, Wanyama, Llorente, Foyth, Gazzaniga, Aurier, Lucas Moura
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
