Chelsea v Fulham:DIDIER DROGBA will start Chelsea's west London derby against Fulham this evening despite suffering from malaria.

Blood tests on Monday evening revealed the Ivory Coast forward, who missed last month’s games against Aston Villa and Spartak Moscow through illness and has not seemed fully fit since, had contracted the tropical disease.

The 32-year-old, who began Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool on the bench after suffering a fever overnight, has started to use medication that should eradicate the illness within 48 hours.

Chelsea cannot say when Drogba contracted malaria, which could have been in his system since the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in January. They are confident there will be no long-term effect on his fitness.

Drogba complained of feeling unwell before going to Ivory Coast on holiday in the international window last month, though tests then did not show up the disease as there was insufficient parasitic activity in his blood at the time.

He was treated symptomatically thereafter, taking antibiotics to address regular bouts of fever. Tests taken after the match at Anfield revealed the presence of malaria.

“Didier has had difficulty training for the last month,” said Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager.

“He didn’t feel good and didn’t have the power or ability to train properly. I think he lost some conditioning.

“He was unselfish by still playing when he was not at 100 per cent but now he has been diagnosed we have the possibility to improve his condition.”

Now it is known how ill he has been, Drogba’s performances, not least in the second half at Anfield on Sunday, when he energised his team, have been remarkable. There had been concern that at 32, he might struggle to return to his best but Ancelotti is confident the forward will make an “immediate” impact.

Ancelotti was forthright when asked if Fernando Torres’ two goals at Anfield had prompted any regret that Chelsea had been unable to buy the Spanish striker in the summer.

“We were not interested because, when you have Drogba and (Nicolas) Anelka, it’s difficult to think about Torres,” he said.

“The day Drogba is not able to play and maintain this level of condition, we can think about buying another striker like Torres. But when Drogba is not able to do what he does now for us, Torres will be old.”

Anelka will need a fitness test this evening after complaining of a back problem sustained at Anfield. The centre half Alex is another doubt after suffering swelling on his knee but Michael Essien will return after a toe problem.

Ancelotti has also confirmed his willingness to release Frank Lampard for international duty in England’s friendly against France next week, if the midfielder plays in Sunday’s game against Sunderland, as anticipated, on his return from a long-standing groin problem.

The 32-year-old has not played since the end of August, when he underwent minor surgery that was expected to keep him out for no more than three weeks. He then tore a tendon off a bone during his rehabilitation.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have re-iterated their desire to remain at Stamford Bridge despite suggestions they are in talks to leave their 105-year-old home.

Reports claim that the Barclays Premier League club are to build a 60,000 seater ground on the site of the soon-to-be-demolished Earls Court exhibition centre.

It is understood that proposals have been sent to Chelsea but the club has no plans to follow them up at the present time. A spokesman for the club said: “We’ll always look at proposals presented to us, but we have no plans to move stadium at this time.”

Leading architect Terry Farrell is set to transform Earls Court into a new residential area with more than 8,000 new homes.

Guardian Service