Grant leaves Drogba on the bench

Premiership team news: Chelsea coach Avram Grant made five changes from the side that crashed out of the FA Cup to Barnsley last Saturday for tonight's Barclays Premier League home match against Derby.

Ashley Cole, Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and Paulo Ferreira were recalled with striker Didier Drogba on the substitutes' bench along with Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Essien.

Derby made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Sunderland last time out with Robbie Savage returning to captain the side in place of Emmanuel Villa and Hossam Ghaly preferred to David Jones.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate made three changes from the side beaten by Cardiff in the FA Cup for the match with his former club Aston Villa.

Mido, George Boateng and Mohamed Shawky came into the side at the expense of Afonso Alves, Fabio Rochemback and Julio Arca.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill was forced into one change from the side which held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium 11 days ago, with Zat Knight replacing Curtis Davies — who will be out of action until October with a ruptured Achilles.

Birmingham's £5million striker James McFadden was a surprise absentee from their line-up at Fratton Park as Alex McLeish's side sought to extend their unbeaten run to five matches and move away from relegation with a win against FA Cup semi-finalists Portsmouth.

Another new signing, Mario Zarate, made his full debut up front for Blues who were also without suspended Martin Taylor and injured Olivier Kapo, and showed just one change from the side that beat Tottenham 11 days ago.

Pompey welcomed back cup-tied striker Jermain Defoe who was looking for his third consecutive home strike since signing from Tottenham in January. But manager Harry Redknapp, whose side could climb to seventh with a win, took a gamble by resting midfielder Lassana Diarra for the first time.

The Frenchman took his place on the bench along with Kanu and Nigeria team-mate John Utaka. Pedro Mendes made his first start since a foot operation.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole, Anelka, Kalou. Subs: Hilario, Essien, Shevchenko, Drogba, Alex.

Derby: Carroll, Edworthy, Stubbs, Moore, McEveley, Sterjovski, Ghaly, Savage, Pearson, Lewis, Miller. Subs: Price, Leacock, Jones, Villa, Earnshaw.

Aston Villa: Carson, Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Maloney, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Taylor, Mellberg, Harewood, Salifou, Osbourne.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Young, Huth, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Boateng, Shawky, Downing, Sanli, Mido. Subs: Turnbull, Rochemback, Cattermole, Johnson, Grounds.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Diop, Muntari, Pedro Mendes, Kranjcar, Baros, Defoe. Subs: Ashdown, Lauren, Diarra, Utaka, Kanu.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Jaidi, Ridgewell, Murphy, McSheffrey, Johnson, Muamba, Larsson, Forssell, Zarate. Subs: Doyle, Nafti, Jerome, McFadden, Parnaby.