With a wave of injuries hitting the squad over the past week, Luiz Felipe Scolari could be forgiven for cursing his luck, but has instead confirmed that he is keeping the faith, in God as well as his players.

The Brazilian is a devout Christian, and has explained that he prayed for Didier Drogba after the striker's injury in Romania on Wednesday, a blow that took the number of players with problems to eight.

Following the game, defenders Alex and John Terry reported they were struggling, while Salomon Kalou was withdrawn at half-time.

Ashley Cole had earlier pulled out with a lower back problem while Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Essien had already been out for some weeks. Joe Cole did not travel either.

Scolari refuses to panic, and insists he has a squad capable of covering for injuries, despite its smaller size to previous campaigns.

There is now good news, with the likely return of both Coles for Aston Villa tomorrow, and Alex and Terry are both expected to be fit.

In addition, Drogba's knee injury is expected to take weeks rather than months to heal.

'After the game I was apprehensive about him, maybe I had lost him for a long time, but the day after the doctor said to me after the scan [that it was] nothing about his cruciate, and I am more confident. I think a maximum one month he starts to play,' Scolari reported.

Drogba collapsed inside the CFR Cluj penalty area after appearing to trap his studs in the turf. 'In that time I was afraid, sure, because I saw his face inside the room but now I am confident in one month he is starting to play again.

'I prayed because Didier is part of my family, all of this club and these players are my family and I need the best for them,' Scolari continued. 'When I saw this I asked God to look for this player. He tried to play for three months now, worked hard and started once. Now, okay, I think he gave Didier another chance to play next month.'

On the subject of his captain's fitness, Scolari concurred with Avram Grant's view last season, that Terry is something of a 'bionic man', whose determination to play will see him through most fitness problems.

'He is a different player, he wants to play all the games, and in training. I need sometimes to send him away, go in, because he wants to play and train more,' said the Brazilian.

'He is a man that doesn't accept pain here or pain there, he is a different player. Some players feel more when they have something, like little babies, but Terry you need to tell him not to train.'

These orders were given out yesterday, and so Terry sat the session out. Scolari explained that it was a limited session.

'Many players didn't train on Friday, in training we had 15 with three players under 20, but it's normal after two weeks of hard games.'

Nicolas Anelka's was a name placed on the list of those who did not figure at Cobham, but Scolari commented he is expected to train today and be fine for tomorrow's clash against Aston Villa.

It is a game in which the manager expects 'there will be a minimum two young players on the bench. In training [on Friday] we had Mancienne, Stoch, Sinclair and Di Santo.'

Our opponents have enjoyed a superb start to the season, catching the eye with their fast counter-attacking football, which has taken them to third place.

'I think Aston Villa is more confident because they played very well this season, and have won four games, drawing one and losing one. When they see Deco out, Carvalho out, Didier out, maybe Terry out, maybe Anelka out, they are more confident, but I have players to win the game and a good squad,' Scolari confirmed.

'I believe in these players, and am an optimist. I look in front, if something happens okay I have one or more other players to succeed and I believe in these players.'

When asked of the possibilities for Martin O' Neill's side this season, Scolari offered his belief that they could be 'around fourth place'.

For now it is a top of the table clash, and all eyes will be on Stamford Bridge to see who comes out on top.

If it is Chelsea, it will be our first league win over Villa since 2005, and you can bet on the outcome by clicking here.