In a much-changed side, Paulo Ferreira will partner Branislav Ivanovic in central defence and there is a place for both Deco and Joe Cole.

Carlo Ancelotti appears to going for a Christmas tree formation now December has arrived with Salomon Kalou sitting on top.

There is a start for Yury Zhirkov at left-back, Juliano Belletti on the right and Michael Ballack captains.

John Terry, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech are rested altogether and Didier Drogba is on the bench.

Blackburn go pretty close to full strength but with Franco Di Santo ineligible, Nikola Kalinic will play with Jason Roberts in attack. Benni McCarthy is midfield.

Chelsea are expected to line up a 4-2-3-1 as follows:

40 Hilario
35 Juliano Belletti
2 Branislav Ivanovic
19 Paulo Ferreira
18 Yuri Zhirkov
13 Michael Ballack (c)
12 John Mikel Obi
15 Florent Malouda
20 Deco
10 Joe Cole
21 Salomon Kalou

Substitutes: 22 Ross Turnbull, 41 Jeffrey Bruma, 43 Sam Hutchinson, 24 Nemanja Matic, 44 Gael Kakuta, 45 Fabio Borini, 11 Didier Drogba.

Blackburn are expected to line up in the following 4-4-2 formation:

Robinson; Salgado, Samba, Nelsen (c), Chimbonda; Emerton, Nzonzi, McCarthy, Pedersen; Kalinic, Roberts.

Substitutes: Brown, Jones, Givet, Hoilett, Diouf, Heerden, Grella.

The referee is Alan Wiley.


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