The remainder of the season is clearly mapped out with one away game left, one home game and then a match on neutral territory in Russia.

Each carries enormous significance and for Joe Cole, the man who has played more minutes than any Chelsea player this season, confidence is high his legs will carry him on towards potentially huge rewards.

In training all weekend for Monday's league match against Newcastle at St James' Park, Cole says:

'There have been some big games recently and it is a final push for me. I have played a lot of football and my last few games I haven't been at my best - but I want to come back to my best in this game on Monday and get the points.

'We had a bad result up at Newcastle last season,' he points out, recalling a 0-0 draw in late April on the same weekend Man United dropped two points. The last real chance to catch the eventual champions disappeared.

'We lost Michael Ballack injured as well so it wasn't a good day. This year we will keep going and we want to take it to the last day. I fully expect Man United to win against West Ham and if we can win and take it to the last Sunday then it is squeaky bum time as the famous man once said.'

Chelsea can draw strength for Monday's game from the fact we are clear as the best away side in the top flight this season. A total of 39 nine points have been taken on the road compared with Arsenal's 33 and Man United's 32. The fortress Stamford Bridge record can overshadow this.

'We have good resilience and we find it easy to play when teams come out at us,' is Cole's explanation for the away form.

'Hopefully with the position Newcastle are in, they will come at us and it will be a high-scoring game and another three points for us.

'In front of their own fans they are going to want to play and there are a couple of old Man United players in there who are going want to do their old mates some favours - but we just have to keep going and get the job done.'

Nicky Butt and Alan Smith may carry the flag for former Man U players on Tyneside but ex-Chelsea are represented by Gérémi and Damien Duff.

'Geri was a great servant for Chelsea, very successful in that he helped to win silverware and he is a great fella. Duffa, what a Chelsea legend, and a fantastic player and a great guy also. It will be nice to see them both,' Cole says.

'Obviously it is not Keegan's team at Newcastle at the moment but he has good players there. I worked with him once and he is a good manager, I know some of his staff and they know their football. It doesn't surprise me he has turned it around.'


Joe Cole is 9/1 with bookmakers Paddy Power to score the first goal at Newcastle. His home kit for the 08/09 season can be pre-ordered from the Online Megastore.