A fine win and a fine prospect gave John Mikel Obi plenty to talk about following his return to Chelsea action after an eight-week absence.

The Nigerian, injured at Wigan on September 26th, played 90 minutes for his nation last weekend and then it was straight back into the starting line-up for the Chelsea game that followed.

Following Saturday's 4-0 win over Wolves in which Mikel again played the whole match, screening the defence for a record-equalling clean-sheet, he spoke in glowing terms about Gael Kakuta.

The half-hour played by the 18-year-old French midfielder grabbed the attention of everyone inside Stamford Bridge. Mikel has seen plenty more of the debutant's football, and also went through a transfer to Chelsea that became a legal matter before he made his bow at the age of 19.

'He [Kakuta] shows every day in training that he is a fantastic player,' said Mikel after the weekend win.

'He still has to learn a lot but you could see from this game what a fantastic player he is. In terms of skill, I think he is the best in the club.

'The sort of things he does in training comes naturally. He doesn't force it and when he has got the ball, he knows what to do.

'The senior players in the club have been supporting him,' Mikel said as he considered the effect on Kakuta of a four-month ban from competitive football, currently lifted pending appeal.

'Everyone has been talking to him, putting arms around his shoulder and trying to make him feel comfortable.

'I spoke to him about it, he knew what happened to me and I told him to stay calm and try to work hard in training.

'My friends and people in the club were speaking to me and giving me assurance that everything was going to be alright, which took a bit of time, but when I started playing I was so relieved and happy and I think it is the same with Gael Kakuta.

'You could see in this game how hungry he is. He wants to show the fans what he has got and hopefully he has more chances to do it.

'There is a lot of pressure but I just had to shut it out and concentrate and see what happened in the end. I think he will come through it because he is such a good player.'

By the time Kakuta had come on against Wolves, the game had long since been won. But despite a 3-0 lead, Carlo Ancelotti had not been totally satisfied in the dressing room at half-time.

'We started the first half very well but Wolves had chances near the end of it and the manager told us we shouldn't give them space to play,' Mikel revealed. 'We came out second half and that is what we did, we didn't give them space and we kept possession of the ball, and that is why we won the game.'