Early team news from BBC Sport:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 534857.stm

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes has no new injury or suspension problems for the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

Long-term absentees Steven Reid and Robbie Savage remain on the sidelines.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is also relatively injury-free for the Old Trafford encounter despite a punishing Champions League tie in Valencia.

Midfielder Michael Essien came through the 2-1 midweek victory unscathed, but Dutch winger Arjen Robben is still out with his knee problem.

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Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Boulahrouz, A Cole, Bridge, J Cole, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Diarra, Obi, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou, Wright-Phillips.

Blackburn (from): Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Tugay, Mokoena, Pedersen, Derbyshire, McCarthy, Nonda, Khizanishvili, Dunn, Henchoz, Roberts, Peter, Enckelman, Gallagher, Brown.

I still have a very, very bad feeling that you are going to dick us today but....

Come on ROVERS!

One of my superstitions is that I never, ever predict Chelsea's results. So I'll leave it to Mark Lawrenson. BBC Sport again:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6534949.stm

"This will be closer than the other semi-final.

With Chelsea, at the murment, if manager Jose Mourinho needs to change it he does and when he does it tends to be successful.

Joe Cole is also coming back for them and they have already won one competition with a chance in another three.

The thing about them defensively as well is that they do not concede poor goals, especially when John Terry and Petr Cech are playing.

Blackburn have had a really good season and coped with injuries as well which no-one has mentioned.

They are very competitive, can be physical but they are also a good side with width but they are unfortunate they are up against Chelsea.

Prediction: 0-2"

I too never predict a result, for the same reason

Come on the Chels!! Would be great to see Joey starting or getting an extended amount of time.

Just heard - Joe Cole starts today, along with Lampard and Ballack in Midfield. Oops, forgot Makalele

Too bad Savage is still injured. I really like that player. On the other hand I'm glad he won't play against us

He's here, he's there, he's every-f**king-where, Joey Cole! Joey Cole!

Really need to make a Joe Cole smilie.

I am really suprised that JM has brought Maka back in for Mikel

From the official site:

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

5 Michael Essien

6 Ricardo Carvalho

26 John Terry ©

3 Ashley Cole

13 Michael Ballack

4 Claude Makelele

8 Frank Lampard

10 Joe Cole

11 Didier Drogba

7 Andriy Shevchenko

Substitutes: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 13 Khalid Boulahrouz, 12 Mikel John Obi, 24 Shaun Wright-Phillips, 21 Salomon Kalou.

3-0 chelsea today, with joey to get the first

From the official site:

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

5 Michael Essien

6 Ricardo Carvalho

26 John Terry ©

3 Ashley Cole

13 Michael Ballack

4 Claude Makelele

8 Frank Lampard

10 Joe Cole

11 Didier Drogba

7 Andriy Shevchenko

Substitutes: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 13 Khalid Boulahrouz, 12 Mikel John Obi, 24 Shaun Wright-Phillips, 21 Salomon Kalou.

Thanks for that .. I'd almost finished typing the list from Sky Sports News!

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Also from the official site: Blackburn are expected to line-up in the following 4-4-2 formation:

Friedel; Emerton, Samba, Nelsen ©, Warnock; Bentley, Mokoena, Dunn, Pedersen; McCarthy, Roberts.

Sub: Enckelman, Henchoz, Sergio Peter, Tugay, Derbyshire.

Not on tv out here in holland so unfortunately I'm stuck with a internet stream.I've got a real good feeling about this one. Great to see Joey back and starting. C'mon Chelsea!!!

From the official site:

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

5 Michael Essien

6 Ricardo Carvalho

26 John Terry ©

3 Ashley Cole

13 Michael Ballack

4 Claude Makelele

8 Frank Lampard

10 Joe Cole

11 Didier Drogba

7 Andriy Shevchenko

Substitutes: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 13 Khalid Boulahrouz, 12 Mikel John Obi, 24 Shaun Wright-Phillips, 21 Salomon Kalou.

Multiple give and goes between Joe and Ashley Cole followed by a shot from Ashley Cole !!

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/884341

1st goal for Chelsea - Lampard :

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/884370

We're up 1:0. Nice work by Drogba and Ballack for Lampard's goal.

I'll just say one thing - WHAT A DIFFERENCE WHEN JOEY IS ON THE TEAM! WOW!

Makes you think where we would have been if we had him all season.

Everyone, come on down to the match chat!

?Sheva shoots from the right and just misses !!

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/884435

Roberts shoots from outside the box , brilliantly saved by Cech !!!!

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/884479

We could have been out of sight by now. Hope we don't end up paying for wasted oppertunites - Joe's shot in particular...! Blackburn can only improve in the second half, reckon Sparky will get them fired up.

Awful miskick by Sheva with wide open goal. Would have put money on almost anyone scoring from there. Just hope it dosen't come back to haunt us

It just has. 1-1 Blackburn

What a joke. As soon as Drogba passed the ball Shevchenko didn't look comfortable.

We let them right back into it. Could have killed the game but no - we just don't do that.

Oh, and that is why Cech is the world's number 1.

End of the 90 minutes. 1:1. We've fallen apart in the second half. Hope Jose can get things back to normal.

What a miss by Sheva.

I don't think we've fallen apart so much, just we took our foot off the pedal and Blackburn have got much better than in the first half. Having a heartattack the last few minutes of this match. Can't take much more of this.