Chelsea may opt for home grown talent

Manchester United's injury crisis may be taking all the headlines but Carlo Ancelotti has personnel problems of his own ahead of this evening's clash between Chelsea and Apoel Nicosia. Fortunately for the Stamford Bridge outfit they have already won their group so can afford to put out an inexperienced team - which could feature plenty of home-grown domestic talent.

Top of the list of lesser-known players getting a run-out will be goalkeeper Ross Turnbull (above), who will make his first competitive start for the Blues since signing from Middlesbrough in the summer. The fact that his debut comes days after Petr Cech made a mess of a Carlos Tevez free kick against Manchester City and cost Chelsea the game is entirely coincidental according to the manager.

Ancelotti admitted that he believed his regular No 1 "could have done better" with the goal on Saturday, but he also described him as "the best goalkeeper in England".

Cech, conveniently, also has a slight knee problem - and he is not the only one. John Terry and Michael Ballack are both doubtful with knee problems and Ashley Cole (ankle) is also struggling. Other first team regulars, defender Alex and striker Salomon Kalou, are out as well.

To cover those potential absentees Ancelotti has added the youngsters Daniel Philliskirk, Nikki Ahamed and Gael Kakuta to the squad. Philliskirk and Ahamed are both English, as is 20-year-old defender Sam Hutchison, who could also feature.

With another home-grown player, keeper Turnbull, in the side and the likes of Frank Lampard and Joe Cole available, Chelsea could do something that few big Premier League teams ever manage to do these days and put out a team that is predominantly English. ·