After missing his side's 4-1 FA Cup win over Cardiff last week, Chelsea captain John Terry will return to the Premier League leaders' starting XI for today's tricky trip to fifth-from-bottom Wolves.
Having been granted personal leave by Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti to travel to Dubai and resolve his marital woes, the former England captain's availability for selection provides a timely boost for the travel-sick Blues, who have won just once away from home in the league since November.
With one point from their last two league games, Chelsea have seen Manchester United close the gap at the division's summit to a single point.
But despite Mick McCarthy's Midlanders' form - they have lost once in their last four league games - Ancelotti will be confident of preserving the Londoners' 100 per cent top-flight record against a side who sit just one point above the relegation places.
McCarthy, however, insists Chelsea will not have it all their own way.
"There is a sense throughout the league that teams just aren't invincible any more," he said.
"I don't think it is because Chelsea, Manchester United and the rest are any worse. I just think that maybe the rest of us have got a little bit better, a little bit more streetwise and players know how to nick a result off them."
With Chelsea having faltered in recent away games, last week's defeat at Everton followed a 1-1 draw at Hull, McCarthy believes his own team's collective desire to avoid relegation will prove more telling than targeting the Blues' shaky away form.
"It doesn't matter about anybody else's away record if we are not playing well," said McCarthy.
"It renders it irrelevant if we play well. We're on a good spell and I'll take us playing like we did against Spurs and Liverpool - that's what it will take."
Wolves will need to play substantially better than they did at Stamford Bridge earlier this season: on that frozen November afternoon Chelsea scored three goals in the opening 22 minutes to romp home 4-0.
Of that win's three goalscorers, forward Florent Malouda is the only one available today. Ghanian enforcer Michael Essien [two] remains a long-term injury absentee, while Joe Cole - the subject of fresh transfer speculation this week - faces a late fitness test.
After being rested against Cardiff, Nicolas Anelka is expected to partner Chelsea's top-scorer and African Player of the Year nominee Didier Drogba up front. Broken ankle victim Ashley Cole remains sidelined.
But home goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann is preparing for a stern test whatever the visitors' line-up.
"Chelsea are going to be sniffing blood after their last two away games," he said.
"That probably doesn't help us - but they're at the top for a reason, they can do everything."
Wolves are without Stephen Ward, Andy Keogh and Michael Kightly while David Edwards is closing in on a return from an ankle injury.
emegson@thenational.ae
Wolves v Chelsea, KO 7pm, ShowSports 1 & 2
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
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Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The%20specs
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
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On racial profiling at airports
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Abramovich London
A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
