Terry's return date is uncertain as its that of winger Joe Cole who has a stress fracture and centre back Khalid Boulahrouz with ligament problems.

Chelsea, though still in the running for two domestic cups and the Champions League, have dropped an unaccustomed six points behind Manchester United in the Premier League.

PERSONAL FRIEND

On top of the injuries Shevchenko, a personal friend of Abramovich, has failed to live up to expectations, with only five goals this season.

Mourinho, who probably did not place Shevchenko at the top of his list of targets last season, has made veiled references to a lack of effort.

Abramovich, newspapers report, thinks Shevchenko could be better handled and rumours have intensified of his intention to bring in Russian-speaking Israeli coach Avram Grant, a technical director at Portsmouth to help out.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp stirred the speculation pot when he said of Grant earlier this week: "If Chelsea want him or feel he can help, it would be unfair to stand in his way."

Mourinho, is proud of his achievements. He lives and breathes his job, studying tactics and the opposition in minute detail.

"Please don't think I am arrogant but I am not a manager who comes out of a bottle, I am European champion. I think I am a special one," Mourinho famously said on arrival at Stamford Bridge.

The "special one" tag stuck and he was never likely to take kindly to interference in team affairs, even from the man who pays his astronomical wages.

Throw into the mixture unwanted input from sporting director and chief scout Frank Arnesen, hired from Tottenham Hotspur in 2005, and the result was always likely to be explosive.

Shevchenko missed Chelsea's last two games with a hamstring problem but trained this week and it remains to be seen whether Mourinho will trust him for Saturday's tough game at Liverpool.

His appearance might appease Abramovich, just as an apparent compromise over transfers signalling the arrival of a defender might appease Mourinho. Chelsea said on Wednesday that talks over the transfer of Bolton's Israeli centre back Tal Ben Haim had fallen through, however.

The Portuguese's talent for showmanship, a colourful turn of phrase and a nose for conflict contrasts sharply with Abramovich's publicity-shy demeanour.

But, however much the Stamford Bridge crowd chant his name or the players pledge loyalty their coach, Mourinho knows it is the owner who has the final say.

As he commented last week: "It's not my club. I am just the manager."

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