Cech may play in Carling Cup

Chelsea coach Avram Grant is yet to decide whether to give Petr Cech his first Carling Cup appearance of the season against Liverpool tonight.

Cech was at fault for Arsenal’s winner in the Premier League on Sunday when he failed to collect a corner and allowed former Blue William Gallas to head home.

But he may have to wait for the chance to atone for his error as Carlo Cudicini has so far played in both Carling Cup ties against Hull and Leicester.

Grant said: “He (Cech) is a good goalkeeper, a great goalkeeper.

“This has happened to the best. It’s part of football. We’re not happy, but it belongs in the past.”

Cudicini hopes he can continue as first choice for the competition in which Chelsea are reigning champions – one that the Italian believes should not be taken lightly.

He said: “In February a lot of people are watching you and it’s a chance to lift a trophy. I think we have to defend it, as we are the owner of the trophy at the moment.

“It is important to bounce back after a defeat we didn’t deserve (against Arsenal), but unfortunately it’s happened.

“Now we have the chance for a couple of days to think about another competition, qualify for the next round and then from Thursday go straight back to the Premier League and try to get back to first place.

“Even though two or three weeks ago we were six or seven points from Arsenal and then three, it’s not finished yet, we have a long time in front of us and time to recover.”

Meanwhile, Grant has called on referees to give players more protection after losing captain John Terry for six weeks with fractured bones in his right foot.

Terry was injured by an x-rated tackle from Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue in the first half of their 1-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Eboue’s tackle has been criticised in many quarters but referee Alan Wiley showed only the yellow card to the Arsenal defender and Grant refused to criticise the Gunner.

But he does believe the protection of players is being overlooked by a desire to punish Chelsea for intimidating referees.

Grant declared: “I don’t think it’s easy to be a referee these days.

“But I see the main discussion in the last two months is that Chelsea sent three players or four players to the referee to complain about a decision.

“This is wrong. The main issue is to protect the game and to protect the players from bad injury. That has to be the main discussion.

“On Sunday, look which players ran more up to the referee. Ours or theirs? It’s part of the game. I don’t think it’s that important.

“The major problem in terms of discussion in the last few months has been that. That’s the wrong message.

“The right message would be how we can better protect the players. There were bad fouls, that foul on John Terry.

“That’s the most important thing. Nothing else, for me, is that important.”

Grant has been boosted by the return of midfielder Michael Ballack for tonight’s quarter-final tie.

The Germany captain has not played since last April and has undergone two operations on a damaged ankle – but he is included in the squad.

The club also appear to have won the race to sign teenage Argentine forward Franco Matias Di Santo.

He is expected to move to Stamford Bridge as soon as a sell-on package is agreed.

The Mendoza-born player will sign a five-year deal, with his Chilean club, Audax Italiano, receiving $7M in return.