Chelsea defend their title with 19 senior players

Premier League champions Chelsea have registered only 19 players for their squad this season, fewer than any other club in the top flight, because of their lack of home-grown talent.

Under new rules, eight out of a squad of 25 must be "home-grown" players, meaning they must have trained in England or Wales for three seasons before the age of 21, if the full 25-man quota is to be used.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has only four such "home-grown" players, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Ross Turnbull, which goes some way to explaining why the champions have six fewer established players at their disposal than their rivals this year.

The good news for Blues fans is that they can use as many under-21 players as they like - and there are more than 40 of them on their books, although only a couple have any first team experience - Daniel Sturridge being the highest profile.

Liverpool registered just 21 players, eight of whom are home-grown. They include Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and new signing Paul Konchesky. The fact that Liverpool's squad is four players light, yet Alberto Aquilani and Emiliano Insua have been sent out on loan has raised eyebrows in some quarters, and suggests Liverpool may be feeling the financial effects of their wage bill.

In a surprise move Alex Ferguson included injury-hit Owen Hargreaves in his registered squad of 25 players for Manchester United, despite the midfielder having not started a first-team game for almost two years due to a serious tendonitis problem.

 
There was bad news for another injury-prone former England player, Jonathan Woodgate. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp left him out of his 25-man squad, meaning he will now not be able to play until the January transfer window opens, even if he does recover from his persistent groin injury. The troubled defender may even have to retire if one final operation does not cure his problem.

Arsenal registered only 20 senior players, but put the likes of Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere on their long list of under-21 players, which features more than 50 names. Also among the youngsters are the likes of Kieran Gibbs and Carlos Vela and plenty of others who have Premier League and Champions League experience.

Manchester City had no trouble registering 25 players after their massive summer-spending spree, even finding places for striker Roque Santa Cruz and flop Jo. Mario Balotelli freed up a spot by joining the under-21s. ·