Chelsea may miss injured trio

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri may decide to face Arsenal without Marcel Desailly, Emmanuel Petit and Graeme Le Saux in the FA Cup quarter-final at Highbury tomorrow even though all three are in the squad after recovering from injuries.

Ranieri confirmed that France captain Desailly is over the hip injury which has sidelined him for the last three games but, like Le Saux – who has had a groin muscle strain – lacks match-fitness.

With Mario Stanic suspended for five yellow cards, former Arsenal midfielder Petit appears to have the best chance of returning to the starting line-up after a groin strain and a one-match ban, but is more likely to start on the substitutes’ bench.

Ranieri has to decide whether veteran Gianfranco Zola also starts after two games coming on from the bench after hamstring trouble.

Team (from): Cudicini; Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Babayaro, de Lucas, Morris, Petit, Lampard, Desailly, Zenden, Gronkjaer, Zola, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Le Saux, Cole, Huth, de Goey, Evans.