Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri could resist playing Marcel Desailly, Emmanuel Petit and Graeme Le Saux in tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal even though all three have recovered from injury.
Ranieri confirmed that Desailly is over the hip injury which has sidelined him for the last three games but, like Le Saux - who has had a groin muscle strain - lacks match-fitness.
With Mario Stanic suspended, former Arsenal midfielder Petit appears to have the best chance of returning to the starting line-up after a groin strain but is more likely to start on the substitutes' bench.
Ranieri must also decide whether to start veteran Gianfranco Zola. The striker recently recovered from a hamstring injury and was a substitute for the last two games.
Team (from): Cudicini; Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Babayaro, de Lucas, Morris, Petit, Lampard, Desailly, Zenden, Gronkjaer, Zola, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Le Saux, Cole, Huth, de Goey, Evans.