Chelsea keeper wary of Hull City trap

Petr Cech insists Chelsea are determined to prevent surprise package Hull City from claiming a fifth consecutive London scalp this season.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have an immediate opportunity to bounce back from their damaging defeat by Premier League title rivals Liverpool when they travel to the KC Stadium on Wednesday.

Hull have taken their first season in the English top flight by storm, and they can leapfrog Chelsea up into second place with their fifth win of the season over a capital-based club.

Fulham, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have all slid to defeat to the Tigers this term, but Czech Republic international keeper Cech is confident Chelsea can embark on another run after surrendering their 86 league game unbeaten home record in Sunday's 1-0 setback to the league leaders.

The Blues are unbeaten away from home in the Premier League for 10 months, and Cech insisted: “We know exactly what to do, we have to bounce back and we have the strength in our side to do that.”

Hull were the bookmakers' strong favourites to make a swift return to the Championship following their play-off final promotion in May.

But Cech is impressed at the way Phil Brown's side have confounded expectations with six victories and a single defeat in their opening nine games to see them already half-way to their safety total of 40 points with less than a quarter of the campaign complete.

The 26-year-old added: “When you win promotion and get a few positive results, you start fighting and go into every game to enjoy it. Hull have the confidence and in any game they have nothing to lose, this is really dangerous.

“You have this every year when promoted sides start so well, this time it is Hull and we know what to expect from them.”

England midfielder Joe Cole is in line to return from a three-week injury absence, but Chelsea will be without Michael Essien, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba for their first league trip to Hull in 20 years.

Since that visit in 1988, the London club have emerged victorious from their last three cup ties in East Yorkshire, scoring 12 goals in the process, including a 4-0 success last year.

City skipper Ian Ashbee plays his last game before serving a one-match suspension in this weekend's visit to Manchester United.

Meanwhile defender Andy Dawson is a doubt after suffering a dead leg in the 3-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion, Hull's fourth in a row. “Andy's likely to miss the game,” manager Brown admitted.

Striker Marlon King insists the secret of Hull's impressive start is the work ethic fostered by Brown, saying: “It's not just about having ability, it's about working hard because we don't have the players Manchester United or Chelsea do.”