'Essien won't play in Africa Cup'

London - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday he believes Michael Essien will miss the Africa Cup of Nations and remain in England to nurse an ankle injury rather than play for Ghana.

Essien was hurt in Monday's Premier League game when he was tackled by West Ham's Nigel Reo-Coker and had to be carried off the field at Upton Park. Chelsea is awaiting tests results to determine the extent of the injury, but the Ghanaian midfielder is likely to miss two weeks.

The 21-day Africa Cup in Egypt starts Jan. 20 and Mourinho is sure Essien, who will be a key player when Ghana makes its World Cup debut in June, isn't going to make it.

"Essien I think is not going," Mourinho told the Chelsea Web site. "To have treatment, it is better to stay with Chelsea. He would be going (to Egypt) for nothing."