Carlo Ancelotti's hopes of writing Frank Lampard's name on his teamsheet this weekend for the first time since August have been dashed by a new injury. The manager has expressed his disappointment.
It had been a week of good training for the Chelsea vice-captain but by the end of the session yesterday (Thursday) he had suffered a strain to an adductor muscle in the groin region. It is not related to the two conditions that have kept him out since the home game versus Stoke - a hernia-related operation and then a tendon injury.
'I think that he will be out again for two or three weeks,' reported Ancelotti on Friday afternoon.
'We are very disappointed because he was very close to coming back. I didn't joke in the last press conference when I said one week but he was unlucky.
'It is bad news, especially at this moment when Essien is suspended. It could have been a fantastic opportunity with Frank adding strength, experience and personality to the team but this is football and we will have to wait for him.'
The manager confirmed there will be no appeal over Michael Essien's red card on Wednesday so the Ghanaian will miss the next three domestic games. Alex too will be missing against Sunderland with a knee injury that will be scanned on Monday.
On the positive side, Nicolas Anelka is over the back problem that forced him to miss the Fulham game and is available again. Didier Drogba too will be involved despite the draining effects of malaria and 90 minutes of football on Wednesday.
'Next week will be important for Drogba because there are not games during the week and he needs the possibility to improve his condition, but we appreciate the fact he is playing and he is doing his best.
'It is not a risk to play him. He will be more tired after the game but we never take a risk on our players.'
As he looks closely at Sunday's game, Ancelotti is ordering his players to forget last season's 7-2 home win over the Wearside club.
'That was the past. It was a fantastic game but Sunderland have improved compared to last season and they play good football. They have good organisation and if we want to win we have to do our best.
'I am happy about the performance against Fulham, we had more continuity, we put more pressure on the opponents in their half and we have to repeat the same performance against Sunderland.'