Duo should figure for Blues

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho should have midfielder Michael Ballack (calf) and 14-goal striker Didier Drogba (ankle) fit for their Barclays Premiership showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Both players collected knocks in the UEFA Champions League defeat by Werder Bremen in midweek but are expected to recover in time to be included in Mourinho’s squad.

England midfielder Frank Lampard will return to the squad after missing the Bremen game through suspension and centre-half Ricardo Carvalho has recovered from an ankle problem – but striker Salomon Kalou is still sidelined with a medial ligament injury.

Provisional squad: Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Terry, Carvalho, Boulahrouz, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Essien, Ballack, Makelele, Drogba, Robben, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, Diarra, Mikel.