LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) Chelsea are so short of players for Saturday's FA Cup final they may be forced to use goalkeeper Hilario as a substitute striker, manager Jose Mourinho said.
Mourinho, who has spent millions to bring in new players but insists on working with a ''manageable'' size squad, said he was down to 15 fit men for the Wembley showdown with double-chasing Manchester United.
Mourinho suffered his latest blow when midfielder John Obi Mikel was ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up in Sunday's final Premier League game, a 1-1 home draw with Everton.
Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko, Ricardo Carvalho, Arjen Robben and teenage striker Scott Sinclair were already definite absentees while fullback Ashley Cole is still doubtful.
''Maybe if Ash is ready we have 15,'' Mourinho told Chelsea TV.
''The reality is that for a final we do not have 16 players.
It's not a good picture.
''For the bench maybe Hilario, he's not bad as a forward, or I'll have to bring one of the kids in.'' Portuguese keeper Hilario, 31, joined the club last July and made 18 appearances between October and January - in goal - following injuries to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini.
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Mourinho, who has spent millions to bring in new players but insists on working with a ''manageable'' size squad, said he was down to 15 fit men for the Wembley showdown with double-chasing Manchester United.
Mourinho suffered his latest blow when midfielder John Obi Mikel was ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up in Sunday's final Premier League game, a 1-1 home draw with Everton.
Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko, Ricardo Carvalho, Arjen Robben and teenage striker Scott Sinclair were already definite absentees while fullback Ashley Cole is still doubtful.
''Maybe if Ash is ready we have 15,'' Mourinho told Chelsea TV.
''The reality is that for a final we do not have 16 players.
It's not a good picture.
''For the bench maybe Hilario, he's not bad as a forward, or I'll have to bring one of the kids in.'' Portuguese keeper Hilario, 31, joined the club last July and made 18 appearances between October and January - in goal - following injuries to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini.
REUTERS BJR HT600
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