Drogba dropped by Chelsea for FA Cup game

LONDON — Didier Drogba's career at Chelsea appeared in further doubt when he was dropped for Wednesday's FA Cup third-round replay at Southend.

Drogba did not even travel with his teammates and appears to have fallen out with manager Luiz Felipe Scolari following the club's 3-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

Drogba has been the Blues' leading striker since joining in July 2004, seeing off threats to his position from players including Andriy Shevchenko.

But Drogba angered fans and the club last year by repeatedly suggesting he could leave and has struggled to find his best form this season, with spells out injured and because of the form of Nicolas Anelka.

"I have looked at many games with Anelka and I have looked at the last few games with Didier," Scolari said Tuesday. "I have my opinion and I will put my opinion on the pitch every game."

But Scolari could be putting his future on the line by omitting Drogba, who has hit a total 51 goals in 120 Premier League games. Chelsea has won only once in the last six games and Scolari will be under even more pressure if his team fails to beat the League One club on Wednesday.

While Drogba has hit one goal in four Premier League starts, Anelka has managed 14 goals in 18 to become the league's leading scorer. The France striker now looks to be No. 1 choice for Scolari, who hinted at changes after the tame performance against United.

The Blues trail Premier League leader Liverpool by four points and are one point ahead of United, which has played two games fewer.

Drogba had been linked with a possible return to Marseille, but the French club instead signed Brazilian striker Brandao from Shakktar Donetsk.

Marseille's main shareholder, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, told French newspaper L'Equipe that Chelsea was not willing to sell Drogba.

Drefyus said he had called Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to ask him about recruiting Drogba.

"They absolutely do not want to let him go," Dreyfus was quoted as saying.

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