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Lampard injury takes shine off flying start

Chelsea goal scorer Frank Lampard applauds his side's fans after their English Premier League soccer match against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge in London on Aug. 25. PHOTO: AP

Frank Lampard's thigh muscle injury has taken the shine off Chelsea's flying start as the London club prepare for their trip to Aston Villa today.

Jose Mourinho will definitely be without the England midfielder after the 29-year-old tore a thigh muscle in training on Friday.

England coach Steve McClaren, who named Lampard in his squad for the Euro 2008 fixtures against Israel at Wembley next Saturday and Russia four days later, will feel the pain of Lampard's injury more than Mourinho, who at least has options to replace him.

Steve Sidwell is likely to deputize for Lampard at Villa Park as the club wait to see exactly how long the former West Ham United player will be sidelined.

Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke said: "We have to wait to see the results of the scan and then we will have a better idea."

Clarke has also dismissed suggestions of unrest in the Chelsea dressing room, following claims that England international Joe Cole has been involved in a row with Mourinho over his lack of starting appearances this season.

"There is no bad feeling in the dressing room. Everyone wants to play and Joe Cole is no different, but there are a few people at the moment who are having to wait for their opportunity," Clarke said.

Chelsea have not beaten Villa at Villa Park since 1999, but victory will give them their 1,500 league win and despite the loss of Lampard, Mourinho is expecting to have France international Florent Malouda back and fit after a small injury problem.

Ukraine's Andriy Shevchekno is also fit and looking to make his first appearance of the season, while new Brazilian signing Juliano Belletti, the former Barcelona right-back, is included in the squad.

One person who will definitely be joining up with the England squad next week is Aston Villa's young winger Ashley Young, who is the one surprise inclusion by McClaren, thanks to his impressive start to the season with Martin O'Neill's side.

Young scored one of the goals in last weekend's victory over Fulham, to round off an impressive performance and the ?9 million (US$18 million) signing from Watford last January fully deserves his inclusion, according to his manager.

"He has been very impressive for us and is absolutely flying at the moment. There were a few eyebrows raised when we paid such a large sum of money for him in January. But here we are a few months on and he is in the England squad," O'Neill said.

O'Neill has taken his spending of US owner Randy Lerner's millions to in excess of ?40 million with the acquisition of Fulham's Zat Knight and West Bromwich Albion's England under-21 international Curtis Davies.

Davies has signed on an initial 12-month loan, but Villa have agreed an ?11 million fee, which will be payable in August next year, but the 21-year-old will not be part of the side against Chelsea today because of a hamstring injury.

Villa will also be without Czech midfielder Patrick Berger and Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen, who are expected to be back after the international break.
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