Hilario injury leaves Chelsea with goalkeeper crisis

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti faces a goalkeeper crisis after Hilario joined injured first-choice Petr Cech on the sidelines.

Cech hasn’t played since suffering a calf strain in Chelsea’s Champions League defeat at Inter Milan last month and his stand-in Hilario is now also ruled out with an abductor injury sustained during last Sunday’s FA Cup victory over Stoke.

Ancelotti is left with just inexperienced duo Ross Turnbull and Rhys Taylor as the only goalkeepers available for Saturday’s crucial Premier League clash against West Ham at Stamford Bridge.

Turnbull, 25, has made just two appearances for the Blues since signing from Middlesbrough on a free transfer last year, but he will be handed his first Premier League start against the Hammers as 19-year-old Taylor has yet to make his first team debut.

He is also in line to play in Tuesday’s return leg against Inter as Ancelotti admits it is unlikely Hilario or Cech will have recovered in time.

“We have a problem with the goalkeepers. We don’t know if Hilario or Petr are able to play on Tuesday,” Ancelotti said on Friday.

“On Saturday I want to put the best line-up out because it’s an important game. We don’t have to think about the Inter game. Hilario is not able to play. So, in goal, Turnbull will play.

“Cech is doing physiotherapy. He did not train on the pitch, so it’s very difficult for him to recover for Tuesday.

“Hilario had a problem against Stoke and has not been able to train this week. An Adductor muscle in his groin is the problem. On the bench will go Rhys Taylor, our young goalkeeper from the reserve team.

“I’m not worried. The performance of the team does not rely upon the goalkeeper. I don’t want to say we can play without a goalkeeper, because that’s an important player for the team, but I have confidence in Turnbull.

“He has not played a lot of games this season but, with the work with our goalkeeping coach, he has improved very well.

“I have no problem about playing Turnbull against Inter Milan.”

Chelsea can go back to the top of the Premier League with a win on Saturday as leaders Manchester United, currently two points ahead of Ancelotti’s team, don’t play until Sunday.

Ancelotti knows former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole would love the chance to impress against his old club after several weeks on the sidelines.

The out-of-form England international, repeatedly left out by Ancelotti in recent weeks, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

But Cole spent the entire Stoke game on the bench and Ancelotti admitted he will have to improve to get back in the team.

“He’s a very important player for us. When he’s involved in the squad he has helped his team-mates to stay focused. I hope he will improve and he can play other important games,” he said.

“I think that he’s keeping a very good mental attitude. Also when he’s a substitute he doesn’t