Bent hopes for debut

Charlton’s new £2.5m (€3.6m) striker Marcus Bent could make his debut against Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but may start on the bench.

Midfielder Alexei Smertin will not be available under the terms of his season-long loan deal from the Blues, while Danny Murphy, Jerome Thomas and Jay Bothroyd are all pressing for a recall.

Back-up goalkeeper Stephan Andersen may figure after struggling with a virus, but defender Gonzalo Sorondo (foot) is definitely out and fellow centre-back Talal El Karkouri is away on international duty with Morocco at the African Nations Cup.

Provisional squad: Myhre, Young, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Powell, Rommedahl, Kishishev, Holland, Hughes, D Bent, Bartlett, M Bent, Kiely, Andersen, Murphy, Thomas, Bothroyd, Ambrose, Lisbie, Perry, Spector.