"We had hoped" - Mauricio Pochettino divulges why Chelsea star missed Manchester City draw despite returning from injury

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has explained the absence of Robert Sanchez from the squad in their 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, February 17.

Sanchez had to be taken off during Chelsea's 2-0 defeat against Everton back in December 2023. He missed the next two months with a knee injury before being announced fit for the City game.

However, before the kick-off, Pochettino announced that Sanchez would not be taking part in the game, saying (via Metro):

"We had hoped to include Robert in the squad today but after the press conference on Friday, it emerged that he had a personal problem which meant he could not be here with us. It’s not a big issue but it’s important for him to be at home today."

Dorde Petrovic continued to take his place in the absence of Sanchez, with the 24-year-old now having made 16 appearances for the Blues this season.

Despite keeping only four clean sheets, Petrovic has impressed, saving 33 of the 47 shots he has faced so far. His 70 percent shot save rate ranks him in the 83rd percentile for goalkeepers in the Premier League.

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Pochettino happy with Chelsea's performance in 1-1 draw against Man City

Chelsea played a solid defensive and counter-attacking game at the Etihad Stadium to earn a 1-1 draw against defending champions Manchester City on Saturday. Raheem Sterling scored the opener on a counter-attack with Rodri rescuing a late point for the Cityzens.

Praising his players for earning a draw in the away game at City, Pochettino said:

“I told the players that I am so pleased and congratulate them; the effort was massive. The spirit we showed today, I think it’s the way we want to compete in this way."

“Of course, so pleased because we played against a team that is the best in the world, never easy. And today, the character they showed, the personality the players and the team, it makes me very, very happy,” he added.

Chelsea also drew against Man City in the reverse fixture back at Stamford Bridge. They played out a thrilling 4-4 draw back on November 12, 2023.