**Chelsea will be without Ricardo Carvalho for at least four weeks after the defender suffered ankle ligament damage in the 5-0 win over Portsmouth.**Chelsea will decide over the next 24 hours whether Carvalho needs surgery.
If the 31-year-old is out for just four weeks he could return for Chelsea’s last three Premier League matches.
But he will miss key league games against Aston Villa and Manchester United as well as an FA Cup semi-final against Martin O’Neill’s side.
Carvalho’s injury leaves Chelsea with just two first-choice central defenders in Brazilian Alex and captain John Terry and comes just days after right-back Branislav Ivanovic was ruled out for a month after he picked up an injury in the 1-1 draw at Blackburn on Sunday.
606: DEBATE
“This season most of the goals we’ve conceded have been from set pieces and Ricardo Carvalho is at fault for 90% of them”
**From Chelsea With Love - Take Joe Cole Away **
Chelsea are also currently missing left-back Ashley Cole, midfielder Michael Essien and right-back Jose Bosingwa for much of the season.
Cole is recovering from a fractured ankle, Essien has a serious knee injury, while Bosingwa needs more surgery on his ankle problem.