Carlo Ancelotti confident Nicolas Anelka can fill in for Didier Drogba

CARLO Ancelotti has backed Nicolas Anelka to fill in for Didier Drogba and fire Chelsea to an unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Nicolas Anelka Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka has recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to return to action against Hull at the KC Stadium tomorrow.

Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi, will be absent for much of this month because of their involvement in the African Nations Cup.

But Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident that Anelka, along with 20-year-old Daniel Sturridge, can help fill the void left by Drogba and Kalou.

He said: “Anelka is a very important player for us.

“He has shown he can play with Didier in attack and without him.

Anelka has been a revelation this season in a supporting role to 19-goal striker Drogba but has missed the last four games because of his injury.

Ancelotti added: “He played the first three games in the Champions League without Didier and he did very well for us and that was important.

“It is very important for us to have him, not only for tomorrow but throughout this period.”

Ancelotti is also confident his squad contains enough quality to remain top of the Barclays Premier League until the African quartet return.

The Italian maintains he is not looking to add to his squad in the current transfer window, and denied the club’s sporting director Frank Arnesen was in Italy this week checking on Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini.

Ancelotti said: “We don’t have any news. We stay with the same squad. I have said that a lot of times.

“We have a good squad and have a very good striker in Daniel Sturridge. We don’t need to have another new player.

“Frank was in London on Wednesday, it is not true. Pazzini is not a player who is of interest to us.”

Although Ancelotti does not see the need for a new additions, Arnesen admits Chelsea always have to be alert if there is an opportunity to sign a top quality player.

Arnesen said: “Carlo has now worked with this group of players for six months, knows all the talent and doesn’t want to change anybody with any players from another club so this is good.

“But we always have to be alert if there is something coming up in the market or something happening in our own squad that means you have to act. We keep working, keep talking and keep meeting which is our job.”

Chelsea trained at Stamford Bridge this morning instead of the Dome at Cobham. The players have been unable to use the pitches at their Surrey training headquarters because of snow and ice.

Ancelotti’s side have a two-point lead at the top of the table Ancelotti and the Blues boss is determined to keep them ahead of the field, which means avoiding a slip-up at Hull.

Provisional squad: Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Lampard, Ballack, Malouda, J Cole, Zhirkov, Kakuta, Bruma, Borini, Sturridge, Matic, Anelka.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?