Chelsea's Essien set to miss rest of season

Chelsea's Ghana midfielder Michael Essien could miss the rest of the season as he struggles to recover from a knee injury sustained at the African Nations Cup in January, the London club said on Tuesday.

"The Ghanaian's participation in the remainder of the campaign is now in doubt, with only four games to play including the FA Cup Final (against Portsmouth) on May 15," the Premier League club said on its website.

British media reported that the club's medical staff were confident Essien would be fit enough to play in the World Cup finals in South Africa that start in June. Ghana face Serbia, Germany and Australia in group D.