Jose Mourinho faces a selection dilemma on Saturday after it emerged yesterday that Andriy Shevchenko is expected to be fit to play against Liverpool.

It is widely believed the £30-million Ukrainian was signed at the behest of the club's owner, Roman Abramovich, and that Mourinho has been under pressure to play him despite misgivings about the striker's ability to handle the pace of the Premiership now he has turned 30.

If a fit Shevchenko is left out of Saturday's squad it will be portrayed as an act of defiance by the manager, which could set him on a renewed collision course with the club's hierarchy.

Like all the Chelsea first-team squad Shevchenko was given two days off after last Saturday's 4-0 Premiership win over Wigan. The striker, who has been suffering from a light hamstring injury, returned to the Cobham training centre yesterday for treatment and will be able to train before the match at Anfield. That means Mourinho's selection is likely to be fraught with political ramifications. The Portuguese has made clear his dissatisfaction with the player's work-rate.

Without a domestic goal since November, Shevchenko acknowledges he has not been playing well but he is hurt by his manager's barbs.

His agent, Fabio Parisi, said of accusations about the player's friendship with Abramovich, "There is nothing he can do about that."

Chelsea insist team selection is a matter for Mourinho and Shevchenko's fate has no bearing on the recent peace pact with the club's hierarchy. But it is understood the Russian faction feel Shevchenko has been misused, and that will put focus on Mourinho's selection on Saturday. The manager could compromise by putting him on the bench.

The striker has not featured since playing for 90 minutes without scoring in the 6-1 FA Cup win over Macclesfield. Arjen Robben, who hit the second goal against Wigan, would be difficult to displace and Didier Drogba's place is guaranteed after his seven goals in eight games.