Sheffield Utd - 0 Chelsea - 2: Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba travelled to Barcelona last night, with Chelsea hoping that one or both might start tomorrow's Champions League encounter against the European champions, even though they managed only a single half between them on Saturday.
The Ukrainian did not even travel to Yorkshire, staying in London to nurse a tight leg muscle, while Drogba lasted for 45 minutes before succumbing to a sore foot.
Even so Drogba is still the more likely of Chelsea's first-choice forwards to play.
Salomon Kalou will be on standby to lead the attack at Camp Nou. The 21-year-old replaced Drogba on Saturday, impressing only fleetingly, though he did create one fine chance for Arjen Robben.
In such circumstances the 1-0 home victory over the Catalans two weeks ago looks more precious than ever, and with wins from their first three fixtures and pointless Levski Sofia still to visit Stamford Bridge, qualification is extremely likely whatever the result in Catalonia.
"We made a statement in the first game, but if we don't go there with the right attitude and desire they can make a statement against us," said Frank Lampard, scorer of one goal and creator of the other on Saturday.
"All it's about at the moment is qualifying." Barcelona's scouts at Bramall Lane would have been encouraged, with Sheffield United's determined man-marking of Lampard and his midfield partner Michael Ballack frustrating Chelsea in the first half.
"It's a different game against Barcelona," said the United manager Neil Warnock.
"They're not the champions for nothing. They're the champions because they adapt to whoever they're playing against. Whether it's Bury in the cup or Barcelona in the Champions League, I think Chelsea would give the same amount."
Chelsea will be helped by the return of Ashley Cole, who was rested here in anticipation of a busy evening against Lionel Messi, himself omitted by Barcelona on Saturday.
"If Messi is resting I think it is a good idea to give Ashley the same conditions," said Jose Mourinho, who also suggested that he was doing Steve McClaren a favour by occasionally using Wayne Bridge. "I have the best two English left-backs.
Ashley is doing brilliant game after game, but if I keep doing a little bit of rotation I help England because they have two left-backs ready and available."
It was hard to tell how Drogba's injury was inflicted, with little contact visible in the challenge with Phil Jagielka that first prompted the Ivorian to seek treatment. We may not know how he damaged his foot, but the Blades shot themselves in theirs.
A third penalty of the season, like the preceding two, was missed by them before Lampard's long-range free-kick, powerfully struck but aimed precisely at Paddy Kenny's chest, flew unmolested into the net as the goalkeeper astonishingly dived out of the way.
And so a well-contested first half ended with the game slipping out of United's reach, and within minutes of the restart Ballack's header confirmed the defeat. Little of note happened thereafter.
Warnock banned his players from speaking to the press after allegations of a razor-wielding altercation between Davis and Adi Akinbiyi appeared late last week.
News of the collapse of Kenny's marriage had escaped a week earlier, the two revelations prompting concerns that there may be a mole in the Sheffield United camp.
"Obviously we'll have to close ranks in the dressing room and find out what's going on here," Warnock added. "You're going to get incidents during a season."
Guardian Service
