FA Cup Final injury worries for Chelsea

Chelsea's injury problems are mounting ahead of the FA Cup Final after John Obi Mikel picked up an injury during the 1-1 draw with Everton on the final day of the 2006 / 2007 Premiership season.

Indeed, Jose Mourinho has claimed that he could be struggling to find 16 fit first-team players for Saturday's clash with Manchester United at the new-look Wembley Stadium.

He said after Chelsea equalled Liverpool's 63-match unbeaten home league record: "We have lost Mikel and the reality is that for a final like we have on Saturday I don't think we have 16 players.

"Mikel has a muscle injury so I don't believe he can play the game, and in such a game where everybody wants to play we want to present the best possible team."

Mourinho is already without the likes of Andriy Shevchenko (hernia), Michael Ballack (ankle) and Ricardo Carvalho (knee), but he could be boosted by the return of Dutch winger Arjen Robben, who underwent knee surgery two months ago.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has defended the contributions of costly summer signings Shevchenko and Ballack as well as Ashley Cole and Salomon Kalou, whose have been on the receiving end of criticism.

The 44-year-old Portuguese said: "Young Salomon has done fantastically for a boy coming from a different culture.

"He is still very naive but his contribution has been very, very good. For Ashley Cole it was not easy to change. Willie's (Gallas) season at Arsenal was also not superb.

"I think it is easier to go from Chelsea to Real Madrid or from Arsenal to Real Madrid. But Ashley has played well. He is one of the heroes who has played injured the whole season and his integration has been smooth.

"Ballack, even against some opinion, has contributed to the team very positively. In big moments, he scored the goal to put Chelsea into the FA Cup Final and scored the goal that put us in the Champions League semi-final.

"Sheva's season was not what everyone was thinking, including myself. In his defence he has a history of many years in a completely different culture. That can be on his side."

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