MICHAEL ESSIEN is in contention to make a surprise and timely return to Chelsea’s line-up against Stoke City on Sunday as the Premier League leaders seek to recover from the defeat at Tottenham Hotspur that shaved their advantage at the top of the Premier League to a solitary point.
The Ghana midfielder has been absent since damaging a hamstring in the Champions League group game against Apoel Nicosia in early December. Essien was fit enough to report for duty with his national squad at the Africa Cup of Nations only to suffer a partially torn medial ligament and damage to the meniscus in his left knee during training in Angola, an injury that initially was expected to keep him out for six weeks.
That absence has been extended by complications – the player underwent extensive rehabilitation alongside Ashley Cole in the south of France last month – which saw the joint swell up after exercise, but progress has been steady in recent weeks.
Chelsea have missed his dynamism, though his return to fitness is particularly timely given that Mikel John Obi, the side’s regular defensive midfielder in recent months, has now suffered his own knee complaint.
Mikel hobbled off after 33 minutes at White Hart Lane on Saturday with Chelsea continuing to scrutinise the extent of the injury. The player stands little chance of featuring on Sunday, with Carlo Ancelotti already confronting the reality that he must reshape his defence for a game the team have to win.
Ashley Cole may make his first appearance since fracturing an ankle at Everton in February, but John Terry is suspended following his dismissal for two bookable offences at Spurs. With Ricardo Carvalho sidelined for a further fortnight at least – the Portuguese started running only last week, as he recovers from an ankle injury – Ancelotti is considering playing Branislav Ivanovic, recently recovered from his own knee problems, as a central-defender, alongside Alex. That would mean retaining Paulo Ferreira, embarrassed by Gareth Bale and withdrawn at half-time against Spurs, at right-back.
There remain doubts, too, over Didier Drogba’s fitness though the club and player have opted against his undergoing keyhole surgery on his troublesome groin for now. Drogba has been suffering from a hernia problem over recent weeks and alarmed the coaching staff by pulling up as he prepared to kick off the second half on Saturday, just seconds after Ancelotti had made his third substitution.
Drogba was assessed on the sidelines before the game restarted and ended up completing the match, though he could yet be rested on Sunday in favour of Nicolas Anelka, with the potentially critical trip to Liverpool the following weekend in mind.
“It’ll be his decision,” said Ancelotti when asked about possible surgery for Drogba prior to the World Cup finals. “He doesn’t have a big problem. It’s more about controlling the situation, but he’ll take a decision at the end of the season whether to have the surgery or not. But it’s by no means sure that he’ll have an operation.” Drogba’s value to the team has been underlined by his fellow Ivory Coast forward Salomon Kalou. “Every time I have the chance to work with him I listen to what he has to say – he is very important to me,” said Kalou.
Guardian Service
