Benitez eyes cup progress

Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez insists he will field his strongest possible side against Brentford in Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round replay.

The Blues host Brentford following their 2-2 draw at Griffin Park last month hoping to secure a fifth-round clash at Middlesbrough on 27th February. Benitez will welcome back David Luiz and Demba Ba after the pair missed the Europa League win over Sparta Prague on Thursday, while John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses return following their Africa Cup of Nations triumph with Nigeria.

"Apart from Oriol Romeu everyone is fine and available," the Chelsea boss told the club's official website.

"We will choose a strong team because we want to progress. Now players can compete for positions and it's good for us. To improve the competition between good players is good for the team."

The cup holders are 1.16 to progress in normal time, while the Bees can be backed at 19.00. Benitez is aware of the expectations of the fans and is anticipating a very different challenge to that posed by Prague.

"Brentford will try to be compact and counter-attack, and we are favourites and will try to do a professional job," said the Spaniard.

"It will be different from Thursday, where we played away against a team that liked to run between and behind defenders. Against Brentford we have to sustain attacks and get on top of them."

Fernando Torres, who scored Chelsea's second in the original tie, is 4.33 to score first on Sunday, with Ba at 3.50.