Liverpool pair Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher could both return to action in Sunday’s Barclays League game at Aston Villa.

Chelsea have been given a pre-season fitness boost after assistant coach Ray Wilkins confirmed that midfielders Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel should be ready for the start of the new Barclays League campaign.

Injured Chelsea winger Yuri Zhirkov has set his sights on making his Barclays Premier League debut after shrugging off fears he would need surgery to cure a knee problem.

Striker Peter Crouch hopes his unselfish work for relegation-threatened Portsmouth will not affect his place in Fabio Capello’s England plans.

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