Didier Drogba
Drogba has revealed concerns over his own fitness as he prepares to lead the Chelsea attack at Old Trafford. Getty Images/Mike Hewitt

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has delivered an injury scare ahead of the Premier League trip to Manchester United by claiming he is short of full match fitness.

Diego Costa and Loic Remy are expected to miss the game with groin injuries, leaving Drogba to lead the attack at Old Trafford.

Drogba netted the first goal of his second spell at Chelsea in the 6-0 trouncing of NK Maribor in the Champions League on Tuesday, playing for 75 minutes after replacing the injured Remy.

The former Ivory Coast international had previously been used sparingly this season, playing for just 118 minutes across seven appearances, and the 36-year-old admits he is short of match fitness.

"I still need time because I didn't play for two or three months before coming back," he said. "Then I had an injury that kept me out for a while so I need more games. But I'm training hard to get back to full fitness.

"It is a long time since my last Chelsea goal. When I took the penalty on Tuesday I was smiling because that's the way I left the club.

"To start scoring with a penalty again is quite symbolic. And I put it in the same place as I did in Munich [in the 2012 Champions League final].

"I'm a striker and, even if I am making assists and making space for others, it is good to score.

"It's up to the manager to decide who is going to start on Sunday but, if you were a player, how would you feel if they said you can play at Old Trafford? You would be happy. I'm ready."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho does not expect either Costa or Remy to recover in time to face United this Sunday, with the former reportedly now suffering from a groin injury picked up on international duty.

Costa has also spent much of the week in hospital with a stomach bug and coupled with Remy's groin injury picked up in the early minutes against Maribor, the Premier League leaders are left with just one fit senior centre-forward.

Youngster Dominic Solanke, who made his Blues debut on Tuesday, could be retained in the squad for the visit to United to support Drogba, who is unlikely to play for 90 minutes.

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