Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka is a doubt for France's World Cup qualifying match with Romania on Saturday due to muscular problems.

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• Group 7 table and details

Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra is ruled out for France due to an inflamed left knee.

Anelka scored Chelsea's second goal in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa before being substituted at half-time after a recurrence of the muscle spasms which forced him to miss training on Friday.

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted the Frenchman might struggle to be 100 per cent fit for Les Bleus' game at the weekend, but has told the player to remain with the France squad for their friendly the following Wednesday against Tunisia.

"I don't know if he will play in national team for France or not because he feel a little pain in his leg and maybe for the first game it'll be difficult for him to play," he said in France Football.

"But he can stay in the France squad. He needs two, maybe three days rest and then maybe play the second game."

Saturday's game is a crucial one for France, as anything less than a win could signal the end of Raymond Domenech's reign in charge.

The controversial coach was given the first three games of World Cup qualifying to prove himself following a disappointing campaign at Euro 2008.

Injury-hit Romania are counting on luck and determination to beat France, said coach Victor Piturca.

Piturca said that almost half the team's key players were injured and that determination and chance were Romania's main weapons in the Group Seven game on Saturday.

However, the return of skipper Cristian Chivu and striker Adrian Mutu for the game in the Black Sea port of Constanta would give Romania a boost, even though both players were struggling to get back to full fitness.

Romania were stunned 3-0 at home by Lithuania and struggled to beat Faroes Islands 1-0 away in their first two games. They are fifth in the table on three points behind Serbia, Austria and France on goal difference. Lithuania top the group on six points.

Piturca has been forced to pick an inexperienced squad and has called up uncapped central defender Valerica Gaman (19).

"Gaman, (goalkeeper Costel) Pantilimon and (striker Bogdan) Stancu are all young, genuine talents and they could be the future of a new Romania national team," Piturca said.

Chivu said beating France was crucial.

"We have to beat France if we want to keep alive our hopes to qualify," he added.