Ahead of the Liverpool game, Felipe Scolari has spoken about a player he hopes to welcome into his squad during the January transfer window - but it isn't a new signing.
'Michael Essien!' the Chelsea manager declared.
'I think Essien will come to play with us one month before the doctors said he would. I see him every day work hard and if God helps me, I think Essien is with us in the last days in January.
'He is the man I want in January Peter Kenyon to buy,' Scolari joked, the topic of transfer window signings on the agenda after the Chelsea chief executive's comments in the last 24 hours.
'It's our intention to put our squad together at the start of the season,' Kenyon said.
'I don't see us being active in the January window. I don't think there is a need, unless that changes through events like injuries.'
To those sentiments, Scolari added:
'There are a lot of games to play. I am happy with this squad and we don't know what is going to happen before January. It is normal for Peter to say no because it is impossible to buy a player now.
'I think money is not a problem. We discuss this at the correct time, now is not the correct time. I have a big game this weekend. I need to be thinking about Liverpool players, not transfer players.'
Scolari will also be thinking about his own players over the weekend, and an injury count that gave him a 24-man squad for Friday training. That party may increase by Sunday.
'Ashley Cole began training today,' he reported, the player on his way back from a hamstring tear. On Drogba, recovering from the ankle and knee damage he suffered at the beginning of the month, Scolari said:
'He needs a minimum of one week or 10 days more.
'Mineiro arrived here today,' he added on the Brazilian midfielder signed to help cover for the Essien absence.
'He arrived in very good condition from 10 days work in Sao Paulo in the club where he was player before. The fitness coach is good friend for us. He is maybe [available] for next weekend.'
Liverpool have reported that Fernando Torres will definitely miss Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. His fellow striker Robbie Keane is a doubt but Steven Gerrrard and Xabi Alonso, withdrawn during the midweek Champions League game, are fit to play.
Scolari believes it is good players and good organisation that makes Liverpool dangerous opponents on Sunday, not their recent record for comebacks, althought that is a characteristic he admires.
'It should be a very good game against Liverpool because the two clubs, they have the same the spirit. They fight until the last minutes to win games. Liverpool has done this more than us but the spirit is the same.
'I think the best team [Rafael] Benitez has had is the one this season and if I say Liverpool is a very good team, I know Benitez will say the same about us.'
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