Stefanovic set for return

Portsmouth caretaker-manager Joe Jordan is boosted by the return of skipper Dejan Stefanovic for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership visit from leaders Chelsea.

Stefanovic missed last week’s 3-0 defeat at Liverpool – which proved Alain Perrin’s final match – due to an ankle condition but is willing to delay surgery and play with the aid of pain-killing injections.

Striker Svetoslav Todorov could also make his first start for two years after making a two-goal international return for Bulgaria recently.

Collins Mbesuma is back in training after damaging an arm in the reserves in midweek as is Dario Silva, who finally returned from Uruguay on Tuesday, but another forward, Ivica Mornar, is out through illness.

Team (from): Ashdown; Griffin, Priske, O’Brien, Stefanovic, Taylor, Hughes, Diao, O’Neil, Hughes, Viafara, Robert, Vignal, Vukic, Todorov, Mbesuma, LuaLua, Silva, Primus, Westerveld.