Carvalho returns to ease crisis at Chelsea

The manager has lost John Terry for a minimum of six weeks with a broken foot and is down to Alex and Tal Ben Haim as his central defensive partnership.

The Israeli has struggled since his move from Bolton last summer and problems in his position wrecked Chelsea's hopes of winning the Premier League last season.

They are third this term and already trail leaders Arsenal by six points with Didier Drogba out injured and the striker set to join three others departing for the African Nations Cup when he is fit in January.

Carvalho is crucial to Chelsea's prospects and has covered well for the loss of Terry through injury already this season.

He missed the last six matches with a back problem and may not play against Liverpool in the Carling Cup tomorrow night, but he is back in full training and could return at Blackburn on Sunday. Club doctor Bryan English said: "We will assess John over the next couple of days but I would imagine he would be out for a minimum of six weeks."

Terry will miss at least eight games and is doubtful for key fixtures against Portsmouth and Liverpool in February after suffering three broken bones in his right foot in Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

The injury means he is also likely to be ruled out of Fabio Capello's first game in charge of England, the friendly against Switzerland at Wembley in February.

His absence has brought renewed speculation about his future as the country's captain but he is hopeful of retaining the position and confident of the job he has done.

Capello refused to commit himself yesterday and promised to reveal his choice when he officially starts in the job next month.

But he has a history of sticking with captains even when he doesn't see eye to eye with them and reputedly places less importance on the role than some.

The Italian even successfully argued against the Real Madrid board when he went back there last year and found they wanted to loan out captain Raul, holding on to him and leaving the title in place.

Capello has had other strikers as his captain in his management career but also Marcel Desailly at AC Milan, who later became Terry's mentor at Chelsea.