Mourinho Confirms Midfielder Will Miss Everton Game + Fabregas Latest

Chelsea will be looking to tighten their grip at the top of the Premier League table when they entertain Everton at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night.

Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and gave Chelseafc.com a team news and injury update.

The Blues boss revealed that John Obi Mikel will continue to miss out with a minor knee injury that’s troubled the Nigerian international midfielder in recent games.

Mourinho said that Mikel will be the only injury absentee which suggests that Filipe Luis could also be available again after missing the last two matches with a calf injury.

However, there was definitive news on the fitness of Cesc Fabregas with Mourinho confirming that the Spaniard is back in the squad after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury that he suffered against Liverpool last month.

The Blues boss told the clubs website:

‘We have only Mikel injured, with a little problem in his knee. He’s the only one who’s not in conditions to play.’

‘After that we have a couple of little things that we have to control until tomorrow but normally [they are] not a problem.’

When asked specifically if Fabregas would start, Jose replied:

‘Yes, he will be,’ was the manager’s answer.

‘I want to have every player but the team played without him and we coped with the situation. Obviously to have him back is important for us.

Chelsea will continue to be without the services of Diego Costa as he serves the final of his three-game ban following his controversial retrospective ban for an alleged stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can.

It seems Mourinho is still reeling from the FA’s decision to suspend the Spanish striker but he insists he has confidence in Didier Drogba and Loic Remy to deputise up front. Jose continued:

‘We don’t have the player that is suspended,’

‘We have to stick with Didier and Loic Remy. Again, we need the suspended player but we coped without him and we got results without him.

‘With him it could have been even better, but I trust my people; we always decide not to speak about players that cannot play. We try to forget it and give confidence to the other people.’

Chelsea go into the match sitting seven points ahead of Manchester City after the defending champions were held at home to Hull City at the weekend so Mourinho will be hoping to extend their advantage to ten points with a win tomorrow.