Bridge ready for big step back

Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge will put eight months of injury heartache behind him tonight when he returns to Jose Mourinho’s squad against Charlton in the Carling Cup third round at Stamford Bridge.

The England defender was temporarily derailed during Chelsea’s FA Cup sixth round defeat at Newcastle in February when he suffered a double fracture of his ankle in a collision with Alan Shearer.

It has been a long and difficult road back for the former Southampton defender, who has worked tirelessly in the gym to return to peak fitness.

The injury ruled him out of the rest of the World Cup qualifiers as England battled to win a place in the finals in Germany next summer.

National team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson still believes Bridge can play a part in his plans providing he can regain the form he was showing before his injury.

But while Chelsea’s assistant manager Steve Clarke confirmed Bridge will play some part in the game against Charlton tonight, a place in England’s squad for the World Cup may still a long way off.

“Wayne is in the squad,” said Clarke. “To get him back on the pitch will be great because he’s worked so hard since his injury.”