Chelsea captain John Terry is fit again after his back injury and is in the squad to face Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Terry missed two games with a back spasm but, while he returns, co-defender Ricardo Carvalho is out for 10 days with a hamstring problem.
Striker Didier Drogba continues in the squad but is likely to start on the substitutes' bench again.
Assistant first-team coach Ray Wilkins insists Chelsea are in good shape to face a month that could potentially define their season.
The Blues have three home games in the Barclays Premier League, beginning with the Boro clash, plus Hull and Wigan.
