Joe Cole has been ruled out of Chelsea's Barclays Premier League trip to Stoke.

The England midfielder has suffered what the club describe as a "minor injury" and he is expected to return in time for next week's Champions League trip to FC Cluj.

Deco (thigh) and Ricardo Carvalho (knee) will be sidelined for the next three weeks but Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari could recall Jose Bosingwa, Ashley Cole and John Mikel Obi after the trio were rested from Carling Cup duty in midweek.