Striker problem doesn't add up for Ranieri

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri will today be reminded that three into two just does not go – leaving him with no choice but to drop one of his trio of big-name strikers to the bench against Sunderland.

The soaring Blues take on the Black Cats at Stamford Bridge tomorrow with Ranieri facing another conundrum up front.

The Italian is so happy with the form of Gianfranco Zola, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink that he has allowed highly-rated teenage forward Carlton Cole to go to Wolves on a month’s loan.

However, the manager must still decide whether to reward Hasselbaink for his late equaliser at Bolton last weekend with his first starting role for three weeks.

The Dutchman was introduced as a half-time substitute at the Reebok Stadium to join Zola and Gudjohnsen on the pitch but has otherwise recently had to play second fiddle to his two team-mates.

Winger Boudewijn Zenden, who has been suffering from an ankle injury since the start of last month, is expected to be ruled out of tomorrow’s game.

Howard Wilkinson hopes Sunderland’s revival continues as they attempt to stem the tide in west London.

A fortnight ago, the Black Cats travelled to Anfield to confront title challengers Liverpool, and with the help of a stunning individual display from stand-in goalkeeper Jurgen Macho, the woodwork and a welcome slice or two of good luck, returned with a precious point, their reward for a battling 0-0 draw.

However, that performance came on the back of three successive league games in which the new manager had seen his players avoid defeat, and collect five points along the way, to raise confidence levels at the Stadium of Light.

But if Wilkinson thought the corner had been turned on that afternoon on Merseyside, he received a kick in the teeth six days later when fellow strugglers Birmingham City snatched victory at the death in the North-East through Clinton Morrison’s strike.

However, the former FA technical director urged his players in the wake of that setback not to throw the baby out with the bath water and forget the progress they had made before letting their standards slip last weekend.

Frenchman David Bellion, for one, has taken that message to heart, and insists that there is no need to feel any added pressure.

“We’ve worked since Howard Wilkinson has been here on mental strength,” he said. “We’ve really worked hard on that and because we’ve got results like the draws at Bolton and Charlton and then at Liverpool, it’s given us more confidence.”

Paul Warhurst will put the old pals’ act on hold for 90 minutes when Bolton take on Manchester City at Maine Road tomorrow.

Warhurst, a lifelong City fan, joined the club from school in 1986 and turned professional two years later.

But after only four months on the full-time staff, he moved to Oldham for £10,000 (€15,600) and began a league career that featured spells with Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn and Crystal Palace before his £800,000 (€1.2m) move to Wanderers four years ago.

He still keeps a keen eye on City’s progress, however, and no-one was more delighted than Stockport-born Warhurst when Kevin Keegan’s men returned to the Premiership at the end of last season.

But his loyalty to the cause will go on to the back-burner once hostilities open in what could be a crucial north-west derby tomorrow.

“Obviously it will be pretty emotional,” said Warhurst, who returned to senior duty against Chelsea last week after nearly two months on the sidelines with a niggling groin injury.

“It will be special but I have been back to Maine Road many times before and even though this will be the last time, I have been around long enough to treat it as just another game.”

City defender Sylvain Distin returns to the starting line-up but boss Kevin Keegan will assess the fitness of Steve Howey and Gerard Wiekens before naming his side.

“Sylvain came through the midweek reserves match with no problem and he will come back in. He has been outstanding all season,” Keegan told the club’s official website, www.mcfc.co.uk.

“I’ll have a look at Howey and Wiekens on Friday but it will be a late decision.”