Ivory Coast's elimination a timely boost for Chelsea

CHELSEA’S TITLE challenge is to benefit from Ivory Coast’s premature elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations with Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou expected back in London tomorrow ahead of a first-team return for the weekend trip to Burnley.

The much-fancied Ivorians surprisingly departed the tournament in Angola at the quarter-final stage following a 3-2 defeat to Algeria on Sunday. Chelsea had anticipated being without the forwards until the potentially critical collision with Arsenal on February 7th but, although neither player will be available for the awkward game with Birmingham City tomorrow night, Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful they will feature at Turf Moor.

Both players’ fitness will be assessed later this week – there will potentially be two training sessions in which they can be integrated back into the team – but, while Chelsea have prospered in their absence, their return will be welcome ahead of a cluttered fixture schedule. Frank Lampard trained with the first-team at Cobham yesterday having come off as a precaution after 66 minutes of their 2-0 win at Preston North End on Saturday complaining of a tight calf. The medical staff were monitoring his fitness last night, but expect him to be available for the game against Birmingham. That match represents something of a challenge to Chelsea’s recently regained momentum, with the visitors unbeaten in 16 matches in all competitions.

Juliano Belletti, who has been filling in as a defensive midfielder in the absence of Mikel John Obi and Michael Essien, will be absent after twisting a knee at Deepdale.

The results of a scan on the joint will be scrutinised today with Ancelotti considering employing either Michael Ballack or Deco in that role tomorrow.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is looking forward to the encounter.

“Belief has a powerful impact in a dressingroom and these players should realise the power they’ve got now,” he said yesterday.

“Individually, you can have one or two mavericks in a team who can win you games, but they won’t win you as many games as when you’ve got a dressingroom as full of the power that I’ve got in mine.”

Guardian Service