Essien to miss Liverpool showdown

The Ghana international will miss Wednesday's trip to Reading and Sunday's game at Liverpool after damaging ligaments in the win against Birmingham.

He scored final goal of the 3-2 win against Steve Bruce's side two days ago and looked a real force after being restored to the Chelsea midfield.

Essien was one of Mourinho's key players last term but spent much of it filling in at the back and the pace and power he offers further forward was missed.

He has not had the best fortune with injuries, damaging knee ligaments last season and others in his ankle this summer but this is a consequence of his all action style.

Mourinho at least has plenty of cover, with Steve Sidwell pushing for a place against his former club Reading tomorrow and Claude Makelele and John Obi Mikel also in contention.

For Petr Cech it will be a difficult trip, returning to the Madejski Stadium for the first time since he fractured his skull there under the challenge of Stephen Hunt last October and required brain surgery.

But the goalkeeper insists he can handle it, saying: "I knew as soon as I re-started playing that one day I would have to go back to Reading.

"I got injured there and I have to go back and play the game again but I have no problem with that. That is the past and I am looking to the future.

"I don't remember anything from the game or the day there so maybe I will enjoy the whole game there for the first time."

Freak incidents that day left Cech and later his replacement, Carlo Cudicini, requiring hospital treatment and Chelsea later raised issues about how emergencies are handled at games.

A working party including their club doctor Bryan English was subsequently established and new measures have now been introduced.

Key among them is the requirement that an ambulance specifically for players and officials must be at all stadiums on matchdays this season.