Chelsea boss Avram Grant insists Andriy Shevchenko will be fit for Sunday's clash with Arsenal after he failed to appear in the second-half of last night's 0-0 draw with Valencia.

Grant confirmed the decision to bring him off was taken before the match in an effort to keep the Ukraine striker fresh for the trip to the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea are missing Didier Drogba for at least three weeks as the Ivory Coast striker recovers from knee surgery, leaving Shevchenko to spearhead the attack.

Grant said: "The decision to bring Shevchenko off at half time was made before the game.

"We knew he was playing three games in eight days and there are many more matches to come.

"It was a decision that Shevchenko and Frank Lampard would not play for 90 minutes because this match was not important for qualification.

"Shevchenko knew before the game that he would be coming off.

"Maybe if he had stayed on the pitch he would have scored but we felt it more important that he keep his physical condition.

"He has not played many full games so we need to keep him in shape. He is supposed to play on Sunday."