Essien set to return for Blues
Essien will need to improve on his recent displays to help the Blues kickstart their season
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Sunday, 30, Sep 2007 09:29
Chelsea boss Avram Grant is confident Michael Essien will be fit for Wednesday's crunch game with Valencia in the Champions League.
The Ghana midfielder missed yesterday's 0-0 draw with Fulham at Stamford Bridge with a calf injury.
Essien, 24, was substituted in the second-half of the Blues' 4-0 win over Hull in the Carling Cup in midweek after picking up the knock.
Grant believes Essien should return for the tricky trip to the Mestalla.
"Essien has a small tear in his calf, but should be fit for Wednesday," Grant said.
Grant will be without John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard, and Michael Ballack for the clash with the Spanish giants.
The Blues have failed to score in the last four Premier League games which has seen them plummet to eighth in the table.
But Grant insists his side are not far away from firing on all cylinders.
"First we need to score and then we need to win. I can't argue with that," Grant said.
"We need to play better and I think the players want to do that. We need to improve a few things in the game.
"The Champions League is a different way of playing, but I think the team is in good shape."